In this article, we will be covering the 15 countries with the highest life expectancy in Africa. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you can move directly to the 5Countries with the Highest Life Expectancy in Africa.
Life Expectancy and Age Dynamics in Africa
Between 2000 and 2019, the healthy life expectancy in Africa wasreported to rise by 10 years per person, on average. Improvement in life expectancy can be attributed to enhanced reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health, as well as the measures taken againstinfectious diseases. Essential health service coverage also increased in the African continent. However, the improved life expectancy still lagged behind the global average.
While the population is aging rapidly in many of the regions in the world, Africa depicts a different picture. As compared to the rest of the world, Africa’s population is relatively younger. As reported by the US Census Bureau, only 5.6% of Africa’s population was above 60 years of age in 2020 as compared to 23.4% in North America. The situation has been forecasted to persist as Africa’s older population is expected to remain in single digits even by 2050. Although the share of adults in the total population across Africa is less, these adults still account for a high number. In 2020, 18 African countries had more than 1 million people aged above 60. Nigeria is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa which has a large total older population.
Issues Impacting the African Life Expectancy
Africa continues to be subject to persistent challenges which influence its life expectancy and the overall health situation. Asreported by the UN, severe hunger had an impact on 4.3 million people in Nigeria in 2023. Furthermore, life-threatening severe acute malnutrition doubled among the country’s children aged below 5. Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal are other countries that are at risk of malnutrition.
Region-wise, most of theadolescent girls and young women giving birth are based in Western and Central Africa. As the population of young women has grown substantially in sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent pregnancies continue to be an issue. Poor maternal conditions are one of the leading causes of disability-adjusted life years and death among girls aged between 15 and 19. You can take a look at the countries with the highest teenage pregnancy rates to have a better idea.
The continent also faces a huge burden of infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, the United Republic of Tanzania, Angola, Ethiopia, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, and Madagascar are the countries carrying the highest disease burdens. Asreported by WHO, the African region accounted for 95% of the global malaria case burden in 2021. Tuberculosis is also highly prevalent as evident from the disease's estimated incidence of 212 per 100,000 people in the sub-Saharan Africa region. Similarly, HIV patients are in the majority in East and Southern Africa.
Additionally, non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and poor mental health are a concern among Africans. Mortality from these diseases in Africa ranges from 36% to 88%.
Companies Working on Improving Life Expectancy Globally
As compared to lower-income countries, high and upper-middle-income countries boast better health service coverage and a higher life expectancy at birth. The difference is commonly 10 more years of healthy life expectancy for wealthier nations. The disease burden in the most developed countries is tackled by up-to-date innovations in biotechnology and pharmaceutics. Companies addressing the global disease burden include Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE), AstraZeneca plc (NYSE:AZN), andNovo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO). Let's take a look at what these firms have been up to.
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) manufactures medicines and vaccines that cater to oncology, cardiology, immunology, and neurology. On March 13, the companyreported that its 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccinePREVENAR 20 has been given marketing authorization by the European Commission (EC). Through this development, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) has been capable of providing the broadest serotype coverage of any pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. This authorization in the EU countries is taking place after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval of PREVNAR 20 for infants and childrenin April 2023.
AstraZeneca plc (NASDAQ:AZN) is a biopharmaceutical company that operates in more than 100 countries across the world. Recently, the company has taken an initiative to improve the treatment of cancer which is a major non-communicable disease globally. On March 19, AstraZeneca plc (NASDAQ:AZN)reported that it has entered into an agreement for the acquisition of the clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc. This acquisition will foster the development of next-generation radioconjugates which will be treating cancer instead of the conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Radioconjugates precisely deliver a radioactive isotope to cancer cells and minimize the damage to healthy cells while enhancing reach to tumors that cannot be accessed conventionally.
Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) is another known global healthcare companythat caters to serious chronic diseases. On March 8, the companyreported that the US Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for a label expansion for Wegovy for cardiovascular risk reduction in people who are overweight or obese and have established cardiovascular disease. These risks pertain to major adverse cardiovascular events such as non-fatal heart attack, cardiovascular death, or non-fatal stroke. Wegovy from Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) now serves as the first therapy that aids adults in managing their weight and reducing cardiovascular risks. Additionally, the company has filed for a label expansion in the European Union.
You can also view the top healthcare stocks to buy. Now that we have analyzed the risk of diseases in Africa and the potential solutions, we can move to the 15 countries with the highest life expectancy in Africa.
15 Countries with the Highest Life Expectancy in Africa
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Our Methodology:
In order to compile a list of the 15 countries with the highest life expectancy in Africa, we sourceddata from the ‘World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision’ from the United Nations. We have used the life expectancy projections made by the UN for the most recent year, 2023. Therefore, all African countries have been ranked in ascending order of their average life expectancy at birth in 2023. The respective life expectancies for males and females at birth have also been mentioned.
15 Countries with the Highest Life Expectancy in Africa
15. Ethiopia
Life Expectancy at Birth (2023): 66.6Years
Male Expectancy at Birth (2023):63.7 Years
Female Expectancy at Birth (2023):69.7Years
Ethiopia is located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. The country’s life expectancy at birth was reported to be 66.6 years in 2023. During the same period, life expectancy for males was 6 years less than that for females.
14. Eritrea
Life Expectancy at Birth (2023): 67.3 Years
Male Expectancy at Birth (2023):65.2 Years
Female Expectancy at Birth (2023):69.4Years
Bordered by Ethiopia in the south, Eritrea is another African country. The country has one of the highest life expectancies on the African continent as evident from its life expectancy at birth of 67.3 years in 2023.
13. Rwanda
Life Expectancy at Birth (2023): 67.4 Years
Male Expectancy at Birth (2023):65.0 Years
Female Expectancy at Birth (2023):69.5 Years
Rwanda is situated in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa. The life expectancy at birth in Rwanda was recorded at 67.4 years in 2023. Male life expectancy in the country is lower than that of females.
12. United Republic of Tanzania
Life Expectancy at Birth (2023): 67.6 Years
Male Expectancy at Birth (2023):65.5 Years
Female Expectancy at Birth (2023):69.8 Years
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country located in East Africa and has one of the highest average life expectancies among other African countries. According to the UN, the country had an average life expectancy of 67.6 years in 2023.
11. Sao Tome and Principe
Life Expectancy at Birth (2023): 68.9 Years
Male Expectancy at Birth (2023):66.1 Years
Female Expectancy at Birth (2023): 72.0 Years
The island country of Sao Tome and Principe is positioned in the Gulf of Guinea and recorded a high overall life expectancy of 68.9 years in 2023. While the life expectancy for females was 72.0 years, male life expectancy was recorded at 66.1 years.
10. Senegal
Life Expectancy at Birth (2023): 69.3 Years
Male Expectancy at Birth (2023):66.7 Years
Female Expectancy at Birth (2023):71.7 Years
The westernmost country in continental Africa, Senegal, has one of the highest life expectancies in Africa. In 2023, the life expectancy at birth in the country was recorded at 69.3 years.
9. Egypt
Life Expectancy at Birth (2023): 70.8 Years
Male Expectancy at Birth (2023):68.5 Years
Female Expectancy at Birth (2023):73.2 Years
Egypt is an African country which boasts a high life expectancy. According to the UN, the country’s life expectancy at birth was 70.8 years in 2023. Female life expectancy was almost 5 years higher than male life expectancy.
8. Libya
Life Expectancy at Birth (2023): 73.3 Years
Male Expectancy at Birth (2023):70.2 Years
Female Expectancy at Birth (2023):76.5Years
Libya is situated in the Maghreb region of North Africa. Life expectancy at birth in Libya was recorded at 73.3 years in 2023 thereby ranking the country among countries with the highest life expectancy in Africa.
7. Seychelles
Life Expectancy at Birth (2023): 75 Years
Male Expectancy at Birth (2023):71.3 Years
Female Expectancy at Birth (2023):79.4 Years
Seychelles tends to be one of the least populated sovereign African countries. The country has the 7th highest life expectancy at birth in the African region. This life expectancy was reported to be 75 years in 2023.
6. Morocco
Life Expectancy at Birth (2023): 75.2 Years
Male Expectancy at Birth (2023):73.1 Years
Female Expectancy at Birth (2023):77.4 Years
Morocco is positioned in North Africa and recorded a life expectancy as high as 75.2 years in 2023. Female life expectancy was 77.4 years while male life expectancy was recorded lower at 73.1 years.
