The World Happiness Report 2025, released on March 20, ranks Finland as the happiest country for the eighth consecutive year, maintaining its top position. Following Finland, other Nordic countries like Denmark (2nd), Iceland (3rd), and Sweden (4th) continue to dominate the happiness rankings.


Nigeria is positioned at 105 out of 147 nations, dropping three spots from its 2024 ranking of 102. Despite this decline, Nigeria has solidified its status as the 10th happiest country in Africa. This is a notable change from 2003, when a World Values Survey indicated that Nigeria had the happiest people in the world. 


In the African context, Libya emerged as the highest-ranked nation, placing 79th globally. Other notable African countries include Mauritius in 83rd place, followed by Algeria at 90th, and Tunisia at 91st, highlighting the varying levels of life satisfaction across the continent.


Globally, countries such as Switzerland (5th), the Netherlands (6th), and Norway (7th) round out the top ranks, while countries like Australia and New Zealand hold 8th and 9th places, respectively. The United States, meanwhile, now ranks 24th, marking a significant drop from its peak position of 11th in 2012. The United Kingdom also finds itself at 23rd, reflecting its lowest average life satisfaction since 2017.


The report is published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network in collaboration with Gallup and the Oxford Center for Well-Being Research. It examines how happiness varies across populations and nations, focusing on six key variables: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. This year’s edition emphasizes the importance of caring and sharing on people's happiness, showcasing significant differences within and between nations.