The Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) has projected that Nigeria’s population could surge to 450 million by 2050 if current fertility rates remain unchanged.
Dr Ejike Oji, Chairman of the AAFP Management Committee, stated this at the 8th Nigeria Family Planning Pre-Conference media roundtable in Abuja.
Oji emphasised that Nigeria’s annual population growth, currently at a minimum of four million people per year, is increasing geometrically.
“This year it’s four million, next year it might be 4.2 million, and it could eventually reach six or even 10 million annually,” he said.
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Drawing lessons from India and China, Oji highlighted that both nations were impoverished half a century ago but successfully improved their economic fortunes by reducing fertility rates and investing in their youth.
He warned that if Nigeria fails to lower its fertility rate from the current 4.8% to 4% by 2030, the country could face severe economic and developmental challenges.
The roundtable emphasised the importance of family planning as a strategic tool to manage population growth, ensure sustainable development, and unlock economic opportunities for the country’s burgeoning youthful population.
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