Population Growth in Nigeria

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Population Growth of Nigeria Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with an estimated population of 162.5 million people. The last population census in Nigeria recorded the country’s population to be estimated at 140 million people, this was in the year 2006. In the year 2011 the World Bank released a yearly total data sheet for all countries and it was seen that Nigeria had an estimated population of 162.5 million people. It has also been noted that the country has had an annual percentage increase of 2.5% since it gained independence in 1960. During the colonial period various estimates were made on the country’s population, but the first actual population census carried out within the country had a result of 31.6 million people. This result has however always being considered as an failed estimated result due to reasons like political instability in the eastern region of the country at that time, inadequate training of census officials in some areas, fear that the head count was based on tax collection and allegations of over counting. Encumbered with inaccuracy due to manipulation of results for political and ethnic purposes. A second attempt of the census was conducted in the year 1963 with the population said to have being estimated at 55.6million people. Though this was virtually impossible because, when compared to the figures in 1953, it was implied that with the given data the annual growth rate was 5.8%. And in spite of all this the results were officially accepted. With these results it was implied that in the southern part of the country, a number of Local Government Areas had an annual increase of 13%. Based on World Bank data sheets the population of Nigeria was at 92,731,304 in the year 1988. Also the issue of cultural beliefs brought about an increase in population because plenty cultures (such as they Yoruba’s, Igbos, Fulani’s, Ijaws,
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