Nigeria Ranked Among World’s Friendliest Nations, But Still Trails in Overall Happiness
Nigeria has been named the 7th friendliest country to strangers globally in the 2025 World Happiness Report, a comprehensive study released on Monday by Oxford University’s Wellbeing Research Centre, in collaboration with Gallup and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
The report, which assessed 147 countries, considered key indicators such as self-reported well-being, prosocial behavior, volunteering, and charitable donations.
High Stranger Friendliness, Low Institutional Trust
While Nigeria’s ranking in friendliness to strangers stands out globally, its overall happiness index tells a different story. The country placed 105th in general happiness, with researchers citing persistent challenges in life satisfaction and weak public institutions as contributing factors.
One of the most striking revelations from the report was the disparity in public trust when it comes to lost-and-found situations. Survey respondents in Nigeria expressed greater confidence in strangers than in formal authorities.
33rd – Likelihood of a lost wallet being returned if found by a stranger
71st – If found by a neighbour
126th – If found by a police officer
The findings reflect a pattern in countries with fragile institutions, where personal benevolence often fills the gap left by unreliable systems.
“Helping Strangers Becomes the Most Effective Form of Benevolence”
The report notes that in societies with weak governance or low trust in public bodies, helping strangers becomes the most immediate and effective way for citizens to display prosocial behavior.
“Nigeria’s data is consistent with trends observed in other nations with struggling public systems, such as Liberia, Jamaica, Trinidad, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Venezuela, Ukraine, and Zambia,” the report states.
Despite these institutional limitations, Nigeria placed 45th in global rankings for charitable donations, underscoring a culture of generosity and strong interpersonal trust.
Strong Communities, Fragile Systems
The 2025 report paints a complex picture: a country where community bonds and interpersonal kindness thrive in contrast to deep-rooted distrust in public institutions. It’s a dynamic that highlights both the resilience and the ongoing challenges of Nigerian society.
