Nigeria’s population expansion, according to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, could become a concern if it is not effectively handled.
On Sunday, the former president gave the warning at a speech in Ogun state.
Nigeria’s population has climbed to 211 million people, according to a UN report released earlier this month.
In response, Obasanjo predicted that if the population surge continues, Nigeria will overtake China as the world’s third-largest country by 2050.
He went on to say that the country must embrace “population management” as soon as possible to avoid a devastating ripple effect.
“We have moved from 120 million to over 200 million, we have added the population of France to our population, and if we continue the way we are going, by the year 2050, we will be the third-largest country in the world,” the former president said.
“If we continue, by the year 3000, we will be the largest country in the world. Now, what are we going to do to handle the situation? How are we going to handle that population?
“If we don’t start getting it right now, we will not get it right by 2050. But population by itself may not be a liability if we do what we have to do. But if we don’t do what we have to do – which we are not doing now – the population will become a liability.
“We should educate ourselves about population management. Some people don’t like family planning and all that, but whatever you do, you must manage your population for the benefit of all that is within your nation.”
