Life Expectancy in Benin (2024): Men 59.5, Women 62.4

Life expectancy in Benin since 1960

Women
Men

Since 1960, life expectancy in Benin has risen by 22.2 years, from 38.8 to 61.0. Women live 2.9 years longer than men (62.4 vs 59.5).

Expected age at death in Benin by age

Life expectancy at birth includes deaths in childhood. Once people reach adulthood they can expect to live longer — here is the average expected age at death for people who have already reached each age:

Current age	Birth	20	40	60	80
Men	59.5	64.8	66.2	70.7	82.5
Women	62.4	67.9	69.1	72.8	83.3

Birth: World Bank. Other ages: our survival model calibrated to Benin’s figures (method).

How people die in Benin

Chronic diseases: 36.7%
Infections, maternal & nutritional: 54.7%
Injuries: 8.6%

In 2019, 37% of deaths in Benin were caused by chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes (world: 74%). A Benin man has a 23% chance and a woman 19% of dying of one of these diseases between the ages of 30 and 70 (world: 21% and 16%). Road traffic accidents kill 26.8 people per 100,000 each year (world: 16.7).

See which causes of death are most likely for you →

Child mortality

Out of every 1,000 babies born in Benin, about 74.7 die before their fifth birthday (world: 37.4). This is one of the main reasons life expectancy at birth differs so much between countries.

Benin compared with its region

Benin is in the World Bank’s Sub-Saharan Africa region, where the average life expectancy is 64.8 years. It ranks #40 of 48 countries there.

#	Country	Overall	Men	Women
36	Côte d'Ivoire	62.1	60.2	64.3
37	Sierra Leone	62.0	60.2	63.7
38	Niger	61.4	60.5	62.4
39	Burkina Faso	61.3	59.1	63.4
40	Benin	61.0	59.5	62.4
41	Guinea	60.9	59.7	62.1
42	Mali	60.7	59.3	62.2
43	Somalia, Fed. Rep.	59.0	56.5	61.6
44	Lesotho	57.8	55.0	60.4

See all 217 countries ranked →

Frequently asked questions

What is the life expectancy in Benin?

61.0 years in 2024: 59.5 for men and 62.4 for women, according to the World Bank.

Do women live longer than men in Benin?

Yes. Women in Benin live about 2.9 years longer than men. Worldwide the gap is 4.9 years in favour of women.

How does Benin rank for life expectancy?

Benin ranks #209 out of 217 countries and territories with data. That is 12.5 years below the world average of 73.5.

What is the average age of death in Benin?

Life expectancy at birth (61.0) is pulled down by deaths in childhood. Adults live longer: a 40-year-old man in Benin can expect to live to about 66.2, and a 40-year-old woman to about 69.1.

Sources

World Bank, World Development Indicators: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, SP.DYN.LE00.MA.IN, SP.DYN.LE00.FE.IN), under-5 mortality (SH.DYN.MORT), causes of death (SH.DTH.NCOM.ZS, SH.DTH.INJR.ZS), mortality from major chronic diseases (SH.DYN.NCOM.MA.ZS, SH.DYN.NCOM.FE.ZS) and road traffic deaths (SH.STA.TRAF.P5). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Link

Data updated October 25, 2026.