According to the United Nations, the current population of Nigeria is 223,804,632; representing a 2.41% increase from 2022, which was 218,541,212. In commemoration of this year’s World Population Day held every July 11, PAUL OKAH speaks with a cross-section of Nigerians on whether the country’s population is a blessing or a curse.
Nigeria’s population a blessing
Without mincing words, I will categorically say that Nigeria’s population is a blessing. Since attaining independence in 1960, Nigeria has always been known as the giant of Africa, due to its large population and large economic labour force.
With over 220 million citizens, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the 6th most populous country in the world. A large youth population translates into a large workforce, able to spur economic growth, so our population is a blessing.
However, for the country to benefit from the youth population’s workforce, Nigeria needs to invest in job creation and education. The government should make sure that university graduates get jobs or are properly empowered in small businesses. A large young workforce will increase entrepreneurial activity in the country, driving business growth.
On the flipside, Nigeria could be burdened by its large young population if its economic growth does not catch up to its population growth. Presently, the population is growing significantly faster than the economy and may likely continue. A country with huge fortunes like ours, in terms of natural wealth in ICT, agriculture, and several sectors, ought to have attained overwhelming growth in all ramifications. The major blessing of our population is increased productivity, which leads to extensive wealth creation and economic growth, which will go a long way in poverty reduction.
…Stephen Maduako, civil servant
Planning necessary
Nigeria’s over 223 million population is both a blessing and a curse as a result of many factors. Presently, Lagos is the biggest city in Nigeria with over 13,463,000 people. Understanding world population patterns and their economic influence is essential for addressing various challenges that nations face.
Factors such as birth rates, death rates, urbanisation, and government policies all contribute to shaping population growth and distribution. Furthermore, the relationship between population size and economic development is complex, with both large and small countries playing significant roles in the global economy.
As the world’s population continues to grow and evolve, governments and policymakers must consider the long-term impacts of population trends on economic development, resource management, and environmental sustainability.
Birth rates and death rates are two primary factors influencing population growth. A higher birth rate contributes to an increase in the population, while a higher death rate decreases the population. The difference between birth and death rates determines the natural population growth rate. Additionally, factors such as healthcare advancements and improved living conditions can contribute to increased life expectancies, thereby impacting population growth.
Urbanisation can significantly impact population patterns, as it leads to higher population densities in urban than rural areas. Therefore, sustainable development policies and practices are essential to mitigate these environmental impacts and ensure a balance between population growth and resource management. In a nutshell, it is left for the federal government to plan more for a better Nigeria; otherwise we are doomed as a nation.
…Adamu Bello, data analyst
Data important
Data is important in explaining if Nigeria’s population is a blessing or a curse. It is pathetic that since 2006, we have not been able to conduct an official census to actually ascertain our true figures; hence, we rely on the United Nations to tell us how many we are as a country. Without data, the country is going nowhere as data is infrastructure. Data is life and oxygen for any country. The lack of population data in the country is denying the country from reaping from the blessing of an increasing population. The top five most populous countries in the world, according to the World Bank data, are China, India, the United States, Indonesia and Pakistan.
As of this year, China continues to be the most populous country, with over 1.43 billion inhabitants. India is a close second, with 1.42 billion people. The United States ranks third, with a population of 338 million, while Indonesia and Pakistan follow, with a population of 236,000,000. The sixth most populous country globally is Nigeria, with a population of 223,000,000, and Brazil comes in seventh with a population of 215,000,000. The eighth most populated country is Bangladesh, with a population of 171,000,000. Russia and Mexico are the ninth and tenth most populous countries, with populations of 145,000,000 and 128,000,000, respectively.
On the other hand, Vatican City has the smallest population worldwide, with only 510 residents. Nonetheless, many countries classified as developing by the International Monetary Fund also possess substantial populations. That’s why we really need data in the country. Hopefully, the present administration of President Tinubu will pull off what many presidents before him failed to do with regards to conducting a population census and getting official data for us to plan as a country.
…Jennifer Kunle, ICT consultant
Nigeria’s population a curse
Nigeria’s high population is currently a curse, based on the current unemployment and underemployment rate in the country. Although Nigeria has done well economically over time, we have also failed to grow the economy in correlation to the rising uncontrolled population. Nigeria has the third largest youth population in the world with over 90 million people under the age of 18. A population of that magnitude in saner scenarios holds a promise of a long term progressive future for any country.
Nigeria’s growing unemployment rate, with rising population making things extremely difficult. A rising population without a corresponding economic environment for increased productivity is a time bomb. With over 10 million out of school children and over 30 million unemployed youths, it is safe to say that the surge in population has been detrimental to us and we’ve been unable to contain the overwhelming population problem with counterproductive measures.
Nigeria has risen through the ranks on the world terrorism index charts and we’ve also seen a huge rise in criminal activities over the last 10 years, from kidnappings to banditry to terrorist activities. This comes down to our failure to address the root cause problem of lack of positive economic engagement for our rising population numbers. Our collective shortcomings in addressing these problems of population control and economic engagement for youths has given birth to all sorts of crime.
The lack of productivity for a nation having over 100 million poor people will in effect give rise to serious problems. Birth control has become a necessity if at all we wish to thrive because a hike in births without corresponding economic growth for wealth creation will only create more poor and vulnerable people which in turn will fester crime and unrest.
…Okon Theophilus, teacher
Family planning important for economic devt
The NDHS 2013 indicated that the total fertility rate in Nigeria is 5.5 per woman. This figure varies across geo-political zones. It means that in the northern part of the country, women could have about 7-10 children in their lifetime. If we continue to grow at the present rate, by 2050, Nigeria will have a population of about 400 million. So, the reality is, there is a need to help the country manage its population so that there can be significant economic growth. There is data that can help us manage our population, even data from other countries too. Our population to us is the best resources we have as a country, most importantly the young people.
Right now, Nigeria’s population pyramid shows we have a large population of young people. We have to make use of the young people for our national development. We should also check our birth rate. Sadly, considering the society we find ourselves in, some cultures and religions don’t see the use of family planning, which is a dilemma we face as a country now, in ensuring large prevalence of contraceptive use in the country.
Therefore, there is the need to get the support of traditional and religious leaders to give the right information to the people because people have been given all sorts of wrong information about family planning. Hopefully, the government and other stakeholders will continue championing the cause to ensure our population is not a curse, but a blessing.
…Joseph Chukwu, medical doctor
