Social determinants of subjective well-being among Nigerian women

Subjective well-being (SWB) reflects individuals’ evaluations of life satisfaction and emotional experiences, influenced by economic, social, and psychological factors. Existing research on Nigerian women often suffers from narrow focus, small sample sizes, or limited methodological rigor, leaving gaps in understanding how diverse social contexts influence SWB. To address these gaps, this study employs nationally representative data from the 2021 Nigerian Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. We analysed data from the nationally representative 2021 Nigeria Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, which included 40,326 women aged 15–49 years across all 36 states and the FCT. Subjective well-being (SWB) was measured using four indicators: overall happiness, life satisfaction, comparative life satisfaction, and future life satisfaction. Given the hierarchical structure of women nested within communities, a Bayesian multilevel cumulative logit model was applied to account for clustering and identify determinants of SWB. The descriptive results show that 39% had poor, 21% average, and 40% good subjective well-being. We found that age was a significant factor, with women aged 35- 39 years having lower odds of reporting good well-being than younger women aged 15- 19 years (AOR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.45). Educational attainment played a crucial role, as women with a tertiary education experienced better subjective well-being (AOR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.17, 1.47) compared to those with no education. Our results underscore the need for policies enhancing education and reducing societal barriers to improve well-being among Nigerian women. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of gender-sensitive, context-specific policies, including expanded healthcare access, educational opportunities, and social protection for vulnerable groups such as elderly women and female-headed households. By accounting for Nigeria’s diversity, targeted interventions can more effectively enhance women’s well-being and overall quality of life.