As Nigeria battles with food insecurity there are reports that more challenges may be on the way to further compound the problem. The report is to the effect that as the years roll on, the country will have more mouths to feed, thus complicating the problem at hand about how to provide for the current population. This comes to the open with the recent report by the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP). The association has projected that Nigeria’s population could hit 450 million by 2050, if current fertility rates persist. Now, there is a problem there. This year there are 25 million people living with hunger. And it is projected that the figure may increase to 33 million by next year. The projection is hinged on the fact that the rate of hunger has been on the ascendancy since 2020, despite warnings by international agencies. Though governments keep giving assurances that policies put in place will tackle the problem, the crisis persists.
Now, the country is being told that its population will increase to 450 million by 2050.
Dr. Ejike Oji, Chairman of the AAFP Management Committee, announced the projection during the Media Roundtable for the 8th Nigeria Family Planning Pre-Conference in Abuja. Oji noted that Nigeria’s population, currently estimated at 239 million, grows by at least four million annually. He described the increase as geometric and unsustainable.
He warned that, without reducing the fertility rate to four children per woman by 2030, the country could face severe socio-economic challenges, potentially adding six to ten million people annually in the near future.
He said, “If this trend continues, we could be adding six million or even 10 million people annually in the coming years. Without reducing our fertility rate to four by 2030, Nigeria risks serious socio-economic challenges.” That will amount to increasing more people in the poverty net and having them condemned to hunger.
The roundtable which was hosted by the AAFP in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, brought together journalists, policymakers, and stakeholders to address pressing family planning issues ahead of the biennial conference.
While citing the 2023 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), Oji highlighted a modest decline in the fertility rate from 5.3 to 4.8. However, he stressed the need for intensified efforts to meet FP2030 targets and warned that failure to act decisively could lead to irreversible socio-economic and developmental challenges.
Drawing comparisons to countries like India and China, Oji stated that investing in family planning and the youthful population was key to driving economic growth and achieving sustainable development. On her part, Ifesinachi Eze, a consultant at AMREF International, pointed out the importance of private sector engagement in addressing family planning and reproductive health needs, particularly during emergencies.
The AAFP and its partners reiterated their commitment to leveraging family planning as a critical tool to ensure a sustainable future for Nigeria.
