by Deborah Nnamdi
Nigeria has been ranked 7th globally for friendliness toward strangers in the 2025 World Happiness Report, compiled by the University of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre in collaboration with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The annual report assesses 147 countries based on self-reported well-being and prosocial behaviors such as volunteering, donating, and helping others.
Despite its high ranking for spontaneous acts of kindness, Nigeria placed 105th in overall happiness, highlighting persistent issues with life satisfaction and systemic challenges. The report identified a notable gap between informal generosity and trust in institutions—a trend observed in several African countries.
When surveyed about the chances of a lost wallet being returned, Nigerians ranked 33rd if the wallet was found by a stranger, 71st if found by a neighbor, and 126th if recovered by the police—revealing low confidence in law enforcement and public institutions.
The report suggests that in countries with fragile institutions, informal, person-to-person acts of kindness often become the most reliable form of support. Other countries showing similar patterns include Jamaica, Liberia, Trinidad, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Venezuela, Ukraine, and Zambia.
While Nigeria also ranked 45th for charitable giving, the data suggests a cultural preference for direct personal assistance over formal donations.
