World Happiness Report: Nigeria Drops Again, Ranks 106th

Nigeria has been ranked 106th in the 2026 World Happiness Report, marking a continued decline in its global standing on well-being.

According to the latest report, Nigeria dropped from 105th place in 2025 and 102nd in 2024, reflecting a steady downward trend in how citizens assess their quality of life.

The report was released on Thursday to commemorate International Day of Happiness, an annual event established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 to promote global awareness of happiness and well-being.

The 2026 edition evaluated 147 countries based on self-reported life assessments, where individuals rate their lives on a scale from zero to 10.

Within Africa, Mauritius emerged as the happiest nation, ranking 73rd globally. It was followed by Libya, Algeria, and Mozambique among the continent’s top performers. Other countries in Africa’s top 10 include Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, South Africa, Niger, and Tunisia, which placed 105th globally—just ahead of Nigeria.

Globally, Finland retained its position as the world’s happiest country for the ninth consecutive year. Iceland and Denmark followed closely, with Nordic nations continuing to dominate the rankings. Costa Rica also stood out as the only non-European country in the top five.

The report was compiled by the University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre in collaboration with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. It draws on data from the Gallup World Poll and uses three-year averages to rank countries.

Key indicators considered in the rankings include GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, personal freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.