According to the latest edition of the World Happiness Report, Nigeria has been ranked as the 95th happiest nation in the world, with a score of 4.981 points. The report, which was released on March 20, coinciding with the United Nations’ International Day of Happiness, focuses on measuring happiness through life evaluations and emotions. It examines how these aspects of life have evolved in crisis situations and how people’s lives have improved where trust, generosity, and supportive social connections have thrived.

The report assigns a happiness score to each country on a scale of zero to 10 based on an average over a three-year period. Finland has maintained its position as the world’s happiest country for the sixth year in a row, with a score significantly ahead of all other countries. Afghanistan, on the other hand, remains at the bottom of the ranking in a league table of 137 countries.

Denmark remains in second place, while Iceland is ranked third. Israel climbed five spots from last year’s ranking to the fourth position. The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Switzerland follow closely behind in fifth through eighth places, respectively. Luxembourg and New Zealand complete the top ten happiest nations globally.

The report’s findings reveal that social factors such as strong social support systems and trust, combined with individual factors like income and education, play a significant role in determining happiness levels across nations. The report also highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s happiness and well-being, with many countries experiencing a decline in happiness levels due to the pandemic’s disruptions.

YNaija