Nigeria has been ranked 60th out of 100 countries in the newly released 2025 “World’s Best Work-Life Balance” index — a report that evaluates how well countries support their citizens in maintaining a healthy balance between work demands and personal life.

Published by the Global Work-Life Institute, the annual report utilises metrics such as average working hours, paid vacation days, parental leave policies, mental health support, flexibility in work schedules, and life satisfaction scores to assess the degree to which each country fosters a balanced lifestyle.

What Contributed to Nigeria’s Ranking?

Several factors played a role in determining Nigeria’s position on the list:

1. Long Work Hours & Poor Work Culture

Many Nigerian employees, particularly in urban hubs such as Lagos and Abuja, report working well beyond their official hours. The culture of overwork, combined with expectations to stay connected even after hours, significantly disrupts personal time and rest.

2. Traffic Congestion and Commute Stress

Nigeria’s underdeveloped public transport systems and poor road infrastructure contribute to long, exhausting daily commutes, often eating up to 3–5 hours of a person’s day. This severely limits time for family, exercise, hobbies, or rest.

3. Limited Leave Policies

In many sectors, there is little enforcement of paid annual leave, sick leave, or parental leave, leaving workers without adequate time to recharge or attend to personal responsibilities. Informal workers, who comprise a significant portion of the workforce, frequently lack access to structured leave.

4. Mental Health and Burnout

Mental health awareness is growing in Nigeria, but resources and workplace support remain minimal. Burnout, anxiety, and depression are increasingly common among professionals, yet there are few policies or programs in place to provide relief or preventive care.

5. Low Workplace Flexibility

Although the COVID-19 pandemic ushered in remote work in some sectors, most Nigerian companies have since returned to rigid in-office structures. The lack of hybrid or flexible options keeps employees tethered to strict schedules that don’t accommodate life outside of work.

Where Nigeria Stands Among African Countries

Nigeria’s 60th-place finish also highlights its comparison with other African nations that made the 2025 ranking. Among the top-ranking African countries were:

• South Africa – Ranked 45th, South Africa outperformed Nigeria due to better enforcement of labour laws, broader access to paid leave, and stronger workplace protections in its formal economy.
• Kenya – Ranked 58th, just ahead of Nigeria, Kenya benefited from improved digital work adoption and a rising startup culture that offers flexible work arrangements.
• Ghana – Ranked 63rd, slightly below Nigeria, with similar challenges around infrastructure and limited support for mental health, but notable progress in labour advocacy.

While none of these African countries cracked the global top 30, the rankings show that small policy shifts, digital innovation, and employer awareness can begin to move the needle in the right direction. Nigeria, being Africa’s largest economy, is well-positioned to lead this change — if the structural barriers can be addressed.

Why Work-Life Balance Matters for Nigeria’s Future

Poor work-life balance leads to reduced employee satisfaction, lower productivity, health challenges, and increased turnover. Conversely, when workers are rested, supported, and respected, they are more likely to thrive and contribute to business growth and national development.

Improving Nigeria’s work-life balance isn’t about adopting Western standards — it’s about creating systems that safeguard people’s time, health, and dignity in a manner that reflects the country’s unique realities and economic objectives.

Recommendations for Improvement

To improve Nigeria’s ranking — and more importantly, the well-being of its people, key action points include:

• Strengthen labour policy enforcement to ensure leave and work-hour rules are upheld
• Encourage workplace flexibility, such as remote work or flexible hours
• Invest in transport infrastructure to ease daily commute pressure
• Incorporate wellness and mental health support in HR policies
• Support informal sector workers with protections and benefits

Nigeria’s placement at 60th in the 2025 work-life balance index is a critical signal. It shows that while progress is underway, much remains to be done. Compared to peers like Kenya and South Africa, Nigeria has the population size, economic power, and innovative talent to lead Africa in reshaping the future of work.

But that can only happen when the conversation shifts from just productivity to people-centred policies and healthier work cultures.