Nine countries are expected to account for over half of the world's population growth between 2015-2050: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Indonesia, and Uganda. Nigeria's population is growing rapidly and is projected to surpass the United States to become the third largest country by 2050. High birth rates combined with declining death rates have contributed to population explosion in Nigeria since improvements in healthcare after the civil war.

1. United Nations, DEPARTMENTOF ECONOMIC AND SOCIALAFFAIRS
POPULATION DIVISION,World Population Policies 2013, ST/ESA/SER.A/341
At the country level, much of the overall increase between now and 2050 is projected to occur either
in high-fertility countries, mainly in Africa, or in countries with large populations. During 2015-2050,
half of the world’s population growth is expected to be concentrated in nine countries: India, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of
America, Indonesia and Uganda, listed according to the size of their contribution to the total growth.
Among the ten largest countries in the world, one is in Africa (Nigeria), five are in Asia (Bangladesh,
China, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan), two are in Latin America (Brazil and Mexico), one is in Northern
America (United States of America), and one is in Europe (Russian Federation). Amongst these,Nigeria’s
population, currently the seventh largest in the world, is growing the most rapidly. Consequently, the
population of Nigeria is projected to surpass that of the United States by about 2050, at which point it
would become the third largest country in the world. By 2050, six of the ten largest countries in the world
are expected to exceed 300 million: China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and United States of
America.
The remaining 9 per cent of the world’s population lives in “high-fertility” countries that have
experienced only limited fertility decline to date. In these countries the average woman has 5 or more
children over her lifetime. Of the 21 high-fertility countries, 19 are in Africa and 2 are in Asia. The largest
are Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda and Afghanistan.
Nine countries are expected to account for more than half of the world’s projected population
increase over the period 2015-2050: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of
Congo, Ethiopia, the United Republic of Tanzania, the United States of America, Indonesia, and
Uganda, listed according to the size of their contribution to global population growth.
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/Population Division
World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision, Key Findings and Advance Tables
From the 1900’s to 1950’s, Nigeria’s population was not an issue because even though
Nigeria’s birth rate was high, death rate was also high which balanced the population.
But since after the civil war, Nigeria’s medicare has improved and women and child
mortality has drastically declined. There is now a condition of high birth rate and
declining death rate which has contributed to what is known as population explosion.

2. This is as a result of the fact that they have not changed their cultural life style (in
marrying more than one wife) nor reduced the number of children they were having.
Nigeria as a nation is witnessing population explosion at an alarming rate, and if nothing
is done to address the situation, the nation will be heading for chaos.
AKANWA, PEARL C.; ANYANWU, EMMANUEL UWAZIE; and OSSAI-ONAH, OYEMIKE VICTOR, "POPULATION
CONTROL IN NIGERIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR LIBRARIANS" (2013). Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal).
Paper 1031. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/1031