Nigeria’s population, which represents 2.7% of the world’s population, is estimated by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs to have reached 216 million in 2022.
The most recent World Population Prospects 2022, which was published on Tuesday to coincide with World Population Day, states that an estimated 8 billion people now live on Earth.
In just eight nations, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and the United Republic of Tanzania, the survey found that more than half of the projected population was located.
India would overtake China as the most populous nation in the world in 2023, it was also stated.
As stated in the study, “More than half of the projected increase in the global population up to 2050 will be concentrated in eight countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and the United Republic of Tanzania.
“Countries of sub-Saharan Africa are expected to contribute more than half of the increase anticipated through 2050.”
In response, Dr. Muda Yusuf, the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, warned that an increase in population without an equal increase in the economy could result in increased unemployment and poverty.
He added that rising unemployment and poverty would exacerbate social problems including increased crime and insecurity.
He said, “The risk around high population growth is that if the country’s economy is not growing at a corresponding level, we may have more unemployment. If we continue to have more unemployment, it can create serious social problems like high crime and insecurity.
“There is also the risk of poverty. If the population is growing and the economy is not growing, there is a high tendency that the level of poverty may increase. And if we have increasing poverty, it will be a major problem for the country.”
