Nigeria - Overpopulation

• Nigeria's population is over 217 million and is forecast to reach 400 million by 2050 and 1 billion by 2100
• Lagos is predicted to become the world's largest city by 2100
• 30% of the population live in poverty earning less than $515 a year
• The urban population has increased from 18% in 1960 to almost 53% in 2021
• Nigeria is experiencing rapid population growth at 2.5%
• Nigeria's population density is 226 people per km2
• In Lagos, the population density reaches 6871 people per km2
• Nigeria's resources

  • Oil
  • Gas
  • Iron ore
  • Coal
  • Zinc
  • Arable land
• Resources in Nigeria

  • Poor management
  • Ownership by foreign companies
  • Corruption
• The top 5 richest Nigerians own and control more resources than the remaining 95% combined
• Currently, resources are not supporting the population due to rapid population growth
• Causes of over-population

  High birth and fertility rates
• The age of marriage in some areas can be as low as 13 and 45% of women are married before they reach 18
• The fertility rate is 5.32 births per woman (2019)
• Larger families are traditionally associated with higher social status
• In the past infant mortality rates have been high 125 per 1000 (1990) this decreased to 72 per 1000
• High infant mortality rates are associated with high fertility rates as women have more children to ensure that some survive to adulthood
• Religious beliefs lead to larger family size
• Lack of education about family planning and contraception
• The decreasing death rate also contributes to the rising population
• Life expectancy is increasing
• The death rate has fallen from 19 per 1000 (1990) to 11 per 1000 (2020)
• Lack of fresh water which leads to the spread of disease
• 29% of children in Nigeria do not have enough water to meet their daily needs
• Increased levels of water, air and land pollution
• Lagos has one of the highest levels of air pollution of any city in the world
• Increased cultivation of land for food which leads to soil erosion and desertification
• 40 million people in northern Nigeria are at risk of losing their livelihoods due to desertification
• 19.5 million faces acute food insecurity
• Increased pressure on already poor services such as health and education
• Higher crime rates
• High youth unemployment has led to increased gang activity and militant groups
• Development of informal settlements around cities particularly Lagos
• An estimated 70% of the population of Lagos lives in informal settlements
• 66% live on less than US$1 a day