Yes, in 40 years Nigeria's population, currently estimated to be ~170mm is expected to surpass USA's (~320m).

While 40 years might appear to be far off, I imagine most Nairalanders would still be very much around. And kicking hard. So this affects all of us.

Personally, I find this very troubling. Firstly, our land mass is smaller than Texas'. Where would be house a population twice our current size? I can't imagine the effect on our environment and strain on whatever little infrastructure we currently have, and building. Lagos is already bursting at its seams. I read about some beggars being deported to Onitsha about a week ago. Is this the beginning of a long-term, but perhaps necessary, trend?

More troubling is that by then crude oil wouldn't be trading at $100+, if at all. It's foreseeable that there will already be an alternative by that time. How will our Government function?? Even more troubling is the fact that our child enrolment numbers are among the poorest, globally. Imagine the implication of having a large and most illiterate population.

Would it be out of place for Government to start enforcing birth controls like in China where folks were restricted to just a child/family? Apparently, this worked for them to keep their population in check. On the flip side, this has led to stunted population growth and their workforce shrunk, for the first time ever, last year. While children are definitely bundles of joy, is it fair to sire an inordinate number of them recklessly?

Quite frankly, I think this is a serious issue, and at the very least, it should be placed and debated on NL's front page.

maybe immigration and emigration will even things out.

I don't think emigration would solve it oh. On the contrary, immigration from those folks in Niger simply strolling into those Northern states would worsen it. Can't those folks pass for hausa people.

I think the birth rate outpaces the death rate by a large margin, maybe 2-1.

Well, other countries can invite nigeria to help them develop their areas, this will encourage migration.