There is an urgent need to address the nation's population growth which continues to bulge exponentially. At the current annual growth rate of 3 per cent, the United Nations projection is that in 20 years time Nigeria's population could reach a staggering 300 million from the present estimate of close to 160 million. In fact Nigeria is today rated among the fastest growing countries of the world. Ordinarily this should be a plus for us but with the way things are, it is not. Experts therefore warn of the dire consequences of this uncontrolled population growth.

The prognosis is that there may come a time when it would be difficult for us to feed the ever increasing number of people, hence the need to avoid the type of crisis recently witnessed in some African countries. We understand that some people may dismiss this as mere Western propaganda aimed at keeping developing countries from having large population both for defence in times of war and as a future workforce.

They could point to China and India as countries with huge populations harvesting the "demographic dividends" of huge populations. Yet we should not fail to realise the fact that even China has kept its population at bay with its one-child per couple policy while the Indian state encourages

Some form of family planning. In any case, an idle (and largely illiterate population) such as we breed in Nigeria today is a disaster waiting to happen. We are not oblivious to religious practices and beliefs that frown at any talk of over population and therefore regard any suggestion that hints at birth control as heresy.

However, it is a simple economic fact that population over-growth that is not matched with commensurate development in the socio-economic sector and education for the citizenry can only breed chaos. On a positive note, however, we also understand that at a time when the population of many countries in Europe and Asia is ageing, Nigeria's young population could be a demographic advantage but only if the policy makers can design appropriate policies in that direction.

There is therefore the need to invest massively in education which is critical for the future. There is also the need for development in infrastructure so as to ensure sustainable support for the bulging size of our national population. For instance, clean water is a finite resource everywhere in the world and moreso in our country where access is not guaranteed for the vast majority, especially in the rural areas.

With just four years to the 2015 target date of UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDG) programme, Nigeria is not showing any sign of achieving the set goals in such critical areas as job creation, food security, universal basic education, provision of shelter for all and poverty eradication. Here then is the underlying fear in the face of a population growth that cannot be matched with a sustainable infrastructure and social services. It is a scary scenario. It is against this background that we welcome the recent International Conference on Nigeria's bulging population at the Lagos State University Ojo.

Both Lagos State and the Federal Government were very well represented at the conference held under the auspices of the Population Association of Nigeria (PAN). Among other things, the conference was advertised as one of such efforts to arouse the interests of stakeholders and governments towards taking concrete steps to tackle the nation's population explosion. Experts used the occasion to make a case as to why we must pay attention to our growing population.

Much as we do not wish to engage the nation's two major religions on the issue of population and birth control, it is nevertheless appropriate to warn of the danger ahead. There is no doubt that a sustainable society is the one with moderate population growth that enables its members to achieve a high quality of life in ways that are ecologically sustainable. Unless policy makers begin now to focus their attention on how to avert this ticking time bomb the consequences could be devastating and very difficult to reverse

http://allafrica.com/stories/201110260753.html

This is alarmist!


Inadequate development in the social-economic sector is the real time bomb.

Naija's pop. is okay.

Just a matter of time you will hear, KABOOOM!!!

@topic

There is still space for people. Proper planning and execution should fix it.

Olodostein:

Just a matter of time you will hear, KABOOOM!!!

?

worrisome

Yes, rather than working to manage the problem now, there is still space for more people. By the time we put in place those proper plans and execute them, the population would have reached upwards and 200 million and as is the culture in Nigeria, we start to cry as if the problem hit us from nowhere.

We need to start curbing this problem now. This is NO such thing as SPACE for more. If our resources are not capable adequate to handle the current load, then what in the world does SPACE for more mean? More mouths to feed on the already diminished resources?? We need to learn to CUT THE BULL!

Malthus! Thomas Robert Malthus!

Malthus? Is this a joke?? So we wait for Famine and disease to trim the population? In essence bring on the trimming QUICKER by continuing to breed like 'elede'? WOW . Are you willing to tell . . . . scratch that . . . . . many of our people already do not seem to care that they do not have the capability of protecting and fending for the many children they continue to produce . . . .

In order words, you are fending for those children on their behalf? Like you even care, imagine!

By 2041 most unskilled and repetitive manufacturing jobs will be done by humanoid robots with well developed artificial intelligence. Humans will only be require to do 'mental work' which requires heavy investment in education and knowledge development. By 2040 there will be no need for a human to do any physical work and with even greater and faster internet 'mental work' will be done by anyone anywhere. A engineer in Nairobi will supervise a construction project of humanoid robots in Cairo. A surgeon in Lagos will perform a heart transplant on a patient in Addis Ababa(these surgeries are happening now in the first world).

By 2041 most unskilled and repetitive manufacturing jobs will be done by humanoid robots with well developed artificial intelligence. Humans will only be require to do 'mental work' which requires heavy investment in education and knowledge development. By 2040 there will be no need for a human to do any physical work and with even greater and faster internet 'mental work' will be done by anyone anywhere. A engineer in Nairobi will supervise a construction project of humanoid robots in Cairo. A surgeon in Lagos will perform a heart transplant on a patient in Addis Ababa(these surgeries are happening now in the first world).

Cut the crap with that "First world"shit. Words meant to further brainwashed us just like "sub-Saharan Africa". As far as I know, we live in one world. Developed and developing is kinda acceptable though.

Wetin concern me afterall I'm not expecting anything from the government.

Nigeria keeps on getting what it deserves, especially since the vast majority are like you.

Nigeria keeps on getting what it deserves, especially since the vast majority are like you.

Are you any much better? Are you one of those opportunistic immigrant living in their "Adopted homeland"? If you so desperately want to see Nigeria change and get better. Why don't you think of creative ways to contribute in the best of your ability. Instead of blaming, calling names and pointing fingers. The scraps being thrown in your way over there is temporal. There is a cycle of bubble and burst.

Get real my friend!

African population is not high enough we need to increase it to two billion.

Arosa:

African population is not high enough we need to increase it to two billion. 

Translation : African is not overall producing enough to justify it's current weight on the world,  . .  matter of fact, it depends to a great deal on the rest of the world for more than 90% of it;s sustenance, even with all the resources available to her,and so we need to have increase the population. And so it is sensible to double the African population -- this is a solution.   

see how supposedly educated folks dey think  o oo !!!

Arosa:

African population is not high enough we need to increase it to two billion. 

I agree and also do not agree.

I personally want all black people scattered around the world repatriated to Africa.
Even the ones that have turned their back on the continent should be dragged back to the 'Mother land'.

At the same time all non blacks (eg Arabs, Caucasians,Asians) should be forcibly removed from Africa.

I estimate there to be around 1 Billion black people worldwide - individual countries such as China and India have more people.

Blacks should be the most populous ethnic group in the world - We once were!!

However, we need to be spread out more evenly across Africa.

Kobojunkie:

Translation : Africans are not overall producing enough to justify it's current weight on the world,  . .  matter of fact, it still depends on the rest of the world for more than 90% of our food needs and welfare, so we need to have more kids. That alone is a solution!   

see how supposedly educated folks dey think  o oo !!!

Who said Africa has a problem providing food for its peeps? Africa is the second-largest continent in the world with a population of less than 1 billion. Africa's problem lies in the diabolic intentions the rest of the world has for the continent, as can be seen in the Arabs' and Europeans' encroachment on Africa.( "4 Billion Africans" bring it on baby)

Arosa:

Who said Africa has a problem providing food for its peeps? Africa is the second-largest continent in the world with a population of less than 1 billion. Africa's problem lies in the diabolic intentions the rest of the world has for the continent, as can be seen in the Arabs' and Europeans' encroachment on Africa.( "4 Billion Africans" bring it on baby)

What has A to do with B? How does telling us that Africa has a population less than 1 billion PROVE that Africa is able to provide food for it's people?

And on who said, are you seriously asking me that question? Where is more than 70% the food you consume in Nigeria alone coming from? Where is the food to save Somalia/Sudan actually coming from? Seriously, what sort of question be that one??

You admit tghat Africa has a PROBLEM(silly enough you attempt to blame it on Arabs) -- i.e, it is currently INCAPABLE but you still suggest that doubling it's population is RATIONAL. Again, I ask if you are what sort of Education you really got.

Africa is Not overpopulated. We have to look at the population density per square mile. Africa has the lowest population density. In 1995, population density were 6 people per square mile in Botswana to 133 in Ethiopia and 500-600 people in Rwanda, which is the country with the highest population denisty in the region. This is not much compared to the Netherlands, which has 1164 people per square mile and Bangladesh, with 2226 people per square mile. So Africa has the lowest population density in the world and contrary to popular belief, Africa is actually underpopulated.

Arosa:

African population is not high enough we need to increase it to two billion.

So how many children have you donated to the cause ?

kobo, why do you always need peeps to remind you on how stupid you are?

Arosa:

kobo, why do you always need peeps to remind you on how silly you are?

Yes, I get it. You, like so many others like you, are allergic to seeing common sense even when it is in front of you. I know people like you need others to appear silly so you can continue to wallow in IGNORANCE. 

Now back to the topic, how does anyone who understands the current situation in Africa --- the myriads of problems that plagues it's present and future, come to suggest INCREASING the number of mouths in Africa as solution? I mean hundreds of thousands are at risk of being killed by their digestive juicies in Sudan/Somalia. The world is scrambling to save hundreds of thousands of children from literally starving to death -- being cooked alive by their own digestive juices. Droughts in East Africa leaves so many more wondering if they will have food in the coming months. But here you are calling for an increase in population size. How come? What have arabs to do with the 70% poor in a place like Nigeria?



http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/21/world/africa/21somalia.html

~Bluetooth:

So how many children have you donated to the cause ?

Naija and our big family mentality . When I tell people that I'd love to have only one child , they start calling me crazy. It's about quality not quantity.

~Bluetooth:

So how many children have you donated to the cause ?

adconline:

Naija and our big family mentality . When I tell people that I'd love to have only one child , they start calling me crazy. It's about quality not quantity.

Seconded.