Nigeria has dropped to 106th position in the 2026 World Happiness Report, reflecting a gradual decline from 105th in 2025 and 102nd in 2024.
The report, released on Thursday, ranks 147 countries as the world observes the International Day of Happiness.
The annual publication, part of the UN’s global celebration, highlights the importance of happiness and well-being.
Established by the UN General Assembly on June 28, 2012, the International Day of Happiness aims to encourage people worldwide to recognise the value of happiness in their daily lives.
In Africa, Mauritius leads as the happiest nation, ranking 73rd globally, followed by Libya, Algeria, and Mozambique.
Other African nations in the top 10 include Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, South Africa, Niger, and Tunisia, which holds the 105th spot globally.
Globally, Finland retained its title as the world’s happiest country for the ninth consecutive year, followed by Iceland, Denmark, and Costa Rica.
The global top 10 is dominated by Nordic countries, with Costa Rica becoming the first non-European nation to reach the top five.
The report is published annually by the University of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre in collaboration with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Data is based on the Gallup World Poll, measuring how people evaluate their lives on a scale from zero to 10.
Rankings reflect three-year averages and consider indicators including GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
