Life Expectancy in Nigeria

#Nigeria is a country that is unique in many ways, in the midst of extreme #poverty lives extreme wealth; as varied as the topography of the country, is the economic power of the individuals.

Presently average life expectancy in Nigeria is put at 52 years (2012). Could where one resides and the amount of money in one’s pocket determine how long a Nigerian is expected to live?

Should you move from where you presently reside and probably add 10-15 years to your life? Or should you adopt a more frugal lifestyle and add more years to your life?

According to this study, the answer to the above questions is yes.

From the study of 48,871 respondents, it was found that one’s pocket and the geo-political zone one belongs to determines to a large extent one’s mortality.

The study found out that:
If you stay in the South West and you are among the poorest people, your risk of dying is just 5% while if you are in the middle income group, it increases to 16%, while the richest group accounts for 43% of deaths!

For the South East, the values are 4%, 24% and 29% respectively.

In the South South, it is 8%, 24% and 24% respectively

In all cases in the south, the richer you are the more likely you are to die.

This is in sharp contrast to what obtains in the north:

If you stay in the North East and you are among the poorest people, your risk of dying is 51%, middle income group is 18% while richest is 2%
In North Central, it is 20%, 27% and 14% respectively
In North West, it is 31%, 18% and 8% respectively.

What does this mean?
1. In the North East, poverty is the major cause of death
2. In the southern part the richer you are, the more likely you are to die
3. You are likely to live long if you are a rich man in the north.

Do you agree with this? Why do you think this is so?

image source: artdiamondblog.com, thisdaylive.com