NIgeria Demographics

OLAMIJUWON Emmanuel O. (1117172)
Compile the demographic profile of your country based on the latest census data including: size of population, sex composition, age structure, racial composition, educational achievement composition, employment status

BRIEF INTRODUCTION: Nigeria, located in West Africa, Nigeria is the population giant of Africa, with more than 140 million people. The terrain changes from the oil-rich Niger Delta in the south to a belt of rain forests inland and to high savannah-covered plateaus in the north. With her Federal capital territory in Abuja, it covers an area of 937,052.16 square kilometers (356,669 square miles).
SIZE OF THE POPULATION: The 2006 Population and Housing Census puts Nigeria’s population at 140,431,790, with a national growth rate estimated at 3.2 percent per annum and the current estimate put the figure at 160 million (PRB, 2012; National Population Commission, 2006). With this population, Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa. Nigeria’s population is unevenly distributed across the country. Large areas in the Chad Basin, the middle Niger Valley, the grassland plains, among others, are sparsely populated. The average population density for the country in 2006 was estimated at 150 people per square kilometre. The most densely populated states are Lagos, Anambra, Imo, Abia, and Akwa Ibom. Most of the densely populated states are found in the South East. Kano state, with an average density of 442 persons per square kilometre is the most densely populated state in the north. (National Population Commission (NPC) [Nigeria] and ICF Macro, 2008).

TABLE 1: Population Distribution of Nigeria by State, Sex and Geo-Political Zone

Source: 2006 Population and Housing Census Priority Table Vol. Iii Population Distribution by Sex, State, LGA & Senatorial District pg. 9
From the table above, it could be deduced that the state population annual growth rate ranges between 2.8 and 3.5 percent excluding the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja with most of the state population growth rates hovering between 2.9 and 3.2 per cent. It could also be deuced that the population size of the states have remained stable over time with the first 6 states retaining their positions while other states observed minor shifts. Abuja FCT area has grown at a phenomenal annual growth rate of 9.3 per cent which is almost 3 times the national growth rate. Consequently, as regards regional distribution, the states comprising the northern Nigeria constitute about 53.6 per cent while the states in southern Nigeria constitute about 46.4 per cent of the total national population.

SEX COMPOSITION: Figures from the 2006 population census showed that there’s a slight prepondence of males over female at the national level with a sex ratio of 103 with about 71,345,488 males and 69,086,302 females. At the regional level, the South Eastern part of the country has a slight prepondence of females than males with a sex ratio of 99.69.
TABLE 2: Population Distribution of Nigeria by Sex, Sex Ratio and Geo-Political Zone

Census 2006
Sex Ratio
Proportion

Males
Females
Total

North West
18,321,710
17,593,757
35,915,467
104.14
25.56
North East
9,761,087
9,223,212
18,984,299
105.83
13.55
North Central
10,291,050
10,078,906
20,369,956
102.10
14.48
South West
14,081,157
13,641,275
27,722,432
103.22
19.70
South East
8,184,951
8,210,604
16,395,555
99.69
11.70
South South
10,705,533
10,338,548
21,044,081
103.55
15.01
TOTAL
71,345,488
69,086,302
140,431,790
103.27
100
Source: 2006 Population and Housing Census Priority Table Vol Iii Population Distribution by Sex, State, LGA & Senatorial District pg. 17

AGE STRUCTURE: The age structure of a population affects a nation 's key socioeconomic issues. Information is included by sex and age group (0-14 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over). Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older populations (high percentage ages 65 and over) need to invest more in the health sector. The age structure can also be used to help predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment can lead to unrest resulting from high crime rates, sexual harassments, violence (major or minor).

TABLE 3: Population Distribution of Nigeria by Age, Sex and Sex Ratio
Age Groups
Sex
TOTAL
Percentage

Sex Ratio

Males
Females

0 - 4
11,569,218
11,025,749
22,594,967
16.09
41.83

105
5 - 9
10,388,611
9,616,769
20,005,380
14.25

108
10 - 14
8,504,319
7,631,631
16,135,950
11.49

111
15 - 19
7,536,532
7,362,887
14,899,419
10.61
54.95

102
20 - 24
6,237,549
7,197,530
13,435,079
9.57

87
25 - 29
5,534,458
6,676,968
12,211,426
8.70

83
30 - 34
4,505,186
4,962,352
9,467,538
6.74

91
35 - 39
3,661,133
3,670,622
7,331,755
5.22

100
40 - 44
3,395,489
3,060,981
6,456,470
4.60

111
45 - 49
2,561,526
2,029,767
4,591,293
3.27

126
50 - 54
2,363,937
1,885,282
4,249,219
3.03

125
55 - 59
1,189,770
876,477
2,066,247
1.47

136
60 - 64
1,363,219
1,087,067
2,450,286
1.74

125
65 - 69
628,436
522,612
1,151,048
0.82
3.23

120
70 - 74
765,988
564,609
1,330,597
0.95

136
75 - 79
327,416
252,422
579,838
0.41

130
80 - 84
408,680
351,373
760,053
0.54

116
85+
404,021
311,204
715,225
0.51

130
TOTAL
71,345,488
69,086,302
140,431,790
100.00
100.00
103
Source: 2006 Population and Housing Census Priority Tables Vol. I National and State Population and Housing Tables pg. 5
In Nigeria, there is a bulge in the population aged 15-64 years, which was 54.8% of the total population. 41.83% of the total population of Nigeria is between 0-14 years, and 54.95% are between 15-64 years, while 3.23% are aged 65+. The effect of a high birth rate upon age structure can be seen in Nigeria, where women have an average of six children each. With a population of 140,431790, Nigeria has an age-dependency of 82 which means that there were 82 people in the dependent ages for every 100 people in the working ages. In Nigeria, there is a bulge in the population aged 15-64 years, which was about 54.95% of the total population with 41.83% and 3.23% in the 0-14 and 65+ age groups.

RACIAL AND ETHNIC:
Information on Ethnic and Racial Composition are not available in the Census (2006) data. However, The Complete Atlas of the World and earlier researches provides reasonable information on the ethnic composition of Nigeria. The ethnicity of Nigeria is so varied that there is no definition of a Nigerian beyond that of someone who lives within the borders of the country. Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups, with varying languages and customs, creating a country of rich ethnic diversity. The largest ethnic groups are the Hausa-Fulani in the north, the Ibo in the southeast, and the Yoruba (Soyinka 's group) in the southwest, accounting for more than 70% of the population, while the Edo, Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, Ebira, Nupe, Gwari, Itsekiri, Jukun, Urhobo, Igala, Idoma and Tiv comprise between 25 and 30%; other minorities make up the remaining 5% (The complete Atlas of the world, 2002)
The count of about 250 ethnic groups overwhelmingly enumerates ethnic minority groups, those which do not comprise a majority in the region in which they live. These groups have not been able to attain the ethnic majority and as such usually do not have a political voice because of their size, nor do they have access to resources or the technology needed to develop and modernize economically. The official population count of each of Nigeria 's ethnicities has always remained controversial and disputed as members of different ethnic groups believe the census is rigged to give a particular group (usually believed to be northern groups) numerical superiority (Suberu and Rotimi, 2001). They often consider themselves discriminated against, neglected, or oppressed.
Northern Nigeria is mostly Islamic and dominated by the Hausa-Fulani ethnic group. Southern Nigeria is more westernized and urbanized than the north, with the Yoruba in the southwest and the Igbo in the southeast. It is estimated that about half the Yorubas are Christian and half Muslim, though many maintain traditional beliefs. The Igbo in the southwest tend to be Christian; many are Roman Catholic. The middle belt of Nigeria is known for its diversity of ethnic groups, including the Pyem, Goemai, and Kofyar.
There are small minorities of British, American, East Indian, Chinese (est. 50,000), (Politzer, and Malia, 2008), white Zimbabwean (Simpson and Sarah, 2008), Japanese, Greek, Syrian and Lebanese immigrants in Nigeria. Immigrants also include those from other West African or East African nations. These minorities mostly reside in major cities such as Lagos and Abuja, or in the Niger Deltas employees for the major oil companies. A number of Cubans settled in Nigeria as political refugees following the Cuban Revolution.
In the middle of the 19th century, a number of ex-slaves of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian descent and emigrants from Sierra Leone established communities in Lagos and other regions of Nigeria. Many ex-slaves came to Nigeria following the emancipation of slaves in the Americas (Toyin, 1999).

EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT COMPOSITION: Information on Literacy rate across each age group provides an insight into the trends of school attendance across each age group. In Nigeria, the about 75,751,576 persons aged 6-9 years are literate which constitute 66.88% of the total population within the age group. A higher percentage of the literate population (79.78%) are within the 15-19 years age group while the rate declines slowly (70.35%) till the 30-34 years age group
TABLE 4: Population Distribution of Nigeria by Age, and Literacy Level

Literacy Level
Total Population
Percentage Literacy Level

Literate
Not Literate

6 - 9
6,927,539
8,499,589
15,427,128
44.90
10 – 14
11,475,145
4,660,805
16,135,950
71.12
15 – 19
11,886,674
3,012,745
14,899,419
79.78
20 – 24
10,410,997
3,024,082
13,435,079
77.49
25 – 29
9,105,457
3,105,969
12,211,426
74.57
30 – 34
6,660,211
2,807,327
9,467,538
70.35
35 – 39
5,220,013
2,111,742
7,331,755
71.20
40 – 44
4,199,406
2,257,064
6,456,470
65.04
45 – 49
3,062,875
1,528,418
4,591,293
66.71
50 – 54
2,435,519
1,813,700
4,249,219
57.32
55 – 59
1,255,721
810,526
2,066,247
60.77
60 – 64
1,184,445
1,265,841
2,450,286
48.34
65 – 69
562,455
588,593
1,151,048
48.86
70 – 74
550,721
779,876
1,330,597
41.39
75 – 79
249,451
330,387
579,838
43.02
80 – 84
288,472
471,581
760,053
37.95
85+
276,475
438,750
715,225
38.66
TOTAL
75,751,576
37,506,995
113,258,571
66.88
Source: 2006 Population and Housing Census Priority Tables Vol. I National and State Population and Housing Tables pg. 173

TABLE 5: Population Distribution of Nigeria by Sex and Literacy Level Not literate
Literate
Total population
Percentage Literacy Level
Males
16,491,395
40,915,736
57,407,131
71.27
Females
21,015,600
34,835,840
55,851,440
62.37

37,506,995
75,751,576
113,258,571
66.88
Source: 2006 Population and Housing Census Priority Tables Vol I National and State Population and Housing Tables pg. 163
Nigeria’s population has a literacy rate of 66.88%, with 71.27% of the male population and
62.37% of the female population being literate. The 6-3-3-4 educational policy system was introduced in 1982. This consists of 6 years of elementary school, a two-tiered high school education (3-year junior and 3-year senior respectively), and finally, 4 years (minimum) of university education. There seemed to be more enrolment among the younger age groups 6-59 possibly due to increase awareness on the role of education in day-to-day life.
TABLE 6: Population Distribution of Nigeria by Sex, Age Groups and Educational Attainment

Source: 2006 Population and Housing Census Priority Tables Vol I National and State Population and Housing Tables pg. 275
In relation to school attendance, a bulk of the literate population (about 18.2%) has attended the Senior Secondary School, Teachers Training College etc. while just about 0.8% have attained the post-graduate level of education. Other forms of education like the Almajeri schools in the northern part of the country, Arabic schools among others constitute about 0.7%

EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Information on Employment status and rates are major factors in determining the percentage of actively engaged population of the country. However, this information is not available in the Population and Housing Census conducted in 2006. Hence, we rely on the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Central Bank of Niger (CBN), Annual Socio-economic Survey and General Household Survey Reports for information on socio-economic status of the country.
According to the General Household Survey Report/ NBS/CBN Surveys 2007 and 2008, the total working population in the country stood at 54,030,000 as at 31st December 2007 and by sector disaggregation showed that Agricultural has the highest number of employees of 31,277,767 and the least is Mining and quarrying with 81,045 employees.
Table 7: Total Working Population by Economic Activity

2006
2007
2010
Total Working Population
52,326,923
54,030,000

Agricultural
30,682,234
31,277,967
14,837,693
Mining & Quarrying
72,962
81,045

Manufacturing industries
959,990
821,256
5,337,000
Prod. & Dist. Of Electricity, & Water
451,132
329,583

Building & Construction
288,723
329583

Comm. & Repairs of Auto & Domestic Art.
109,808
140,478

Hotels & Restaurants
101,901
129,672

Transport, Storage & Communication
439,866
1,107,615

Finance Intermediation (including insurance)
297,074
302,568

Real Estate, Renting & Business Activities
63,636
81,045

Public Admin & Defence, Compulsory Soc. Sec.
5,358,298
5,338,164

Education
10,017,082
10,443,999

Health & Social services
313,387
307,971

Table 8: National Unemployment Rates

2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
National (Composite)
12.3
12.7
14.9
19.7
21.4
Urban
10.0
10.0
10.0
19.2
22.8
Rural
15.1
12.6
12.6
19.7
21.1

Table 9: Unemployment Rates by Educational Level, Age Group & Sex, 2010
Educational Level
Urban
Rural
Composite
Never Attended 19.2
17.7
17.9
Below primary
24.9
23.1
23.5
Primary
21.8
21.8
21.8
JSS
24.5
22.4
23.1
Vocational/Commercial
27.9
24.1
25.7
SSS
24.2
23.6
23.9
NCE/OND/Nursing
22.3
20.4
21.5
B.A/B.Sc/B.ED/HND
24.0
21.5
23.1
M.Sc/M.AM.Admin
20.7
18.5
20.1
Doctorate
19.6
19.6
19.6
Others
22.0
23.7
22.8
Age Group
15-24
26.0
24.8
25.2
25-44
22.7
19.6
20.7
45-59
20.8
19.3
19.9
60-64
22.5
20.6
21.3
Gender
Male
21.6
18.5
19.6
Female
24.2
23.1
23.5
National
22.8
20.7
21.4
Source: National Bureau of Statistics, 2010

REFERENCES
Lewis and Peter (2007). Growing Apart: Oil, Politics, and Economic Change in Indonesia and Nigeria. University of Michigan Press. p. 132. ISBN 0-472-06980-2.
National Bureau of Statistics (2010). The Review of the Nigerian Economy
National Population Commission (2006). Population and Housing Census Priority Table Vol.III Population Distribution by Sex, State, LGA & Senatorial District
National Population Commission (2006). Population and Housing Census Priority Table Vol. VII Distribution of Population (Age 6 and Above) by Sex, Age Groups and Educational Attainment
National Population Commission (2006). Population and Housing Census Priority Table Vol. VI Distribution of Population (Age 6 and Above) by Sex, Age Groups and Schooling Status
National Population Commission (NPC) [Nigeria] and ICF Macro: Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2008. Abuja, Nigeria: National Population Commission and ICF Macro 2009.
National Population Commission. (2006). Final results of 2006 Census. Official Gazette of 2nd February, 2009. Abuja, Nigeria: National Population Commission.
Okpu, Ugbana. Ethnic Minority Problems in Nigerian Politics: 1960-1965. Stockholm: LiberTryck AB, 1977.
Onuah, Felix (2006). "Nigeria gives census result, avoids risky details". Reuters.
Politzer, Malia (August 2008). "China and Africa: Stronger Economic Ties Mean More Migration". Migration Information Source.
Population Handbook (2011), Population Reference Bureau, Sixth Edition
Population Reference Bureau, (2012). World population datasheet, Population Reference Bureau
Simpson, Sarah (2008). "Why white Zimbabwean farmers plan to stay in Nigeria". The Christian Science Monitor.
Suberu and Rotimi T. (2001). Federalism and Ethnic Conflict in Nigeria. US Institute of Peace Press. p. 154. ISBN 1-929223-28-5.
The complete Atlas of the world (2002): "Nigeria" in Geographical. Random House, 2002, ISBN 0375720375

References: Lewis and Peter (2007). Growing Apart: Oil, Politics, and Economic Change in Indonesia and Nigeria. University of Michigan Press. p. 132. ISBN 0-472-06980-2. National Bureau of Statistics (2010). The Review of the Nigerian Economy National Population Commission (2006) National Population Commission (2006). Population and Housing Census Priority Table Vol. VII Distribution of Population (Age 6 and Above) by Sex, Age Groups and Educational Attainment National Population Commission (2006) National Population Commission. (2006). Final results of 2006 Census. Official Gazette of 2nd February, 2009. Abuja, Nigeria: National Population Commission. Okpu, Ugbana. Ethnic Minority Problems in Nigerian Politics: 1960-1965. Stockholm: LiberTryck AB, 1977. Onuah, Felix (2006). "Nigeria gives census result, avoids risky details". Reuters. Politzer, Malia (August 2008). "China and Africa: Stronger Economic Ties Mean More Migration". Migration Information Source. Population Handbook (2011), Population Reference Bureau, Sixth Edition Population Reference Bureau, (2012) Simpson, Sarah (2008). "Why white Zimbabwean farmers plan to stay in Nigeria". The Christian Science Monitor. Suberu and Rotimi T. (2001). Federalism and Ethnic Conflict in Nigeria. US Institute of Peace Press. p. 154. ISBN 1-929223-28-5. The complete Atlas of the world (2002): "Nigeria" in Geographical. Random House, 2002, ISBN 0375720375