4 Dec 20012

Vice President Namadi Sambo
Paul Obi

A new release by The Economist Magazine, ‘World in Figures’ in London has revealed that Nigeria is set to become the world fifth largest population going by its population growth.
The 2013 publication also placed the country in 13th position among countries with the highest fertility rates.
The report estimated that Nigeria’s population is likely to reach 229 million people by the year 2025.
With these figures, Nigeria is expected to overtake countries like Brazil, Pakistan and Bangladesh in population.
The country will then be out number only by China, India, United States and Indonesia.
Meanwhile, India is also expected to become the world’s most populous country putting China in the second position.
The report likewise predicted that countries like Ethiopia and Egypt in Africa would also experience population growth.
The 2013 edition of ‘World in Figures’ though highlighted the reduction of HIV/AIDS related death in Nigeria, the country was ranked 13th position among nations with the highest infant mortality rate and 14th among countries with top crude birth rates.
On the economy, Nigeria came 44th among countries with the highest number of domestic companies, and was also positioned 20th among countries with the highest car sales.
The country scored ninth place in economic growth.
The publication which also postulated that Lagos will become the 14th largest city in the world by 2025 is coming at a time the Nigerian government is considering the introduction of family planning among its teeming population.
The move has pitched the Federal Government against religious bodies, with the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) taking a swipe on government decision to seek family planning through contraceptive commodities as a strategy to stem population growth.
Though, it is not certain whether the Nigerian government intends to pursue family planning rigorously, officials at the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja hinted recently that government is on the verge of providing funds for the programme, running into millions of dollars