Nigeria has slipped one place to 106th in the 2026 World Happiness Report, continuing a gradual decline from 105th in 2025 and 102nd in 2024. The findings, released on Thursday to coincide with the International Day of Happiness, ranked 147 nations based on how citizens evaluate their lives.
The report, now in its thirteenth edition, is published by the University of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre in partnership with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. It uses three-year averages of Gallup World Poll data, where respondents rate their lives on a scale from zero to ten. Rankings are influenced by six key factors: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
Across Africa, Mauritius leads the continental rankings at 73rd globally, with Libya, Algeria, and Mozambique following. Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, South Africa, Niger, and Tunisia—which is ranked 105th worldwide—complete the top ten happiest African nations. Nigeria’s position places it behind Tunisia on the global list.
Globally, Finland retained the top spot for the ninth consecutive year. Nordic countries dominate the upper echelons, with Iceland, Denmark, and Sweden filling the next three positions. Notably, Costa Rica broke into the top five for the first time, ranking fourth and becoming the highest-placed non-European nation.
The annual report’s release aligns with the International Day of Happiness, established by the UN General Assembly in 2012 to promote the recognition of happiness as a fundamental human goal. By analysing wellbeing trends worldwide, the report aims to inform policy debates and encourage nations to prioritise conditions that improve quality of life. The 2026 edition underscores persistent regional disparities, with African nations generally ranking lower, while highlighting how factors beyond economics continue to shape national wellbeing outcomes.
