On Tuesday, the world population prospects indicator, now in its 27th edition, broke the 8 billion mark, 11 years after it did so.
At a summit in Abuja, the United Nations Population Fund, or UNFPA, celebrated the landmark with aid organizations and organizations that support women.
Officials claimed that despite generally dropping worldwide fertility rates, population increase is a result of better public health and medical care, which has led to a decline in death rates.
According to the U.N., low- and lower-middle-income nations, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for nearly 70% of the rise.
By 2050, the U.N. predicts that sub-Saharan African nations will continue to expand and account for more than half of the world’s population.
Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa and is now ranked sixth in the world.
The nation is anticipated to overtake China as the third most populous country in the world by 2050.
“A chance for the entire world community”
According to Erika Goldson, the UNFPA’s deputy country representative for Nigeria, population growth must keep pace with economic expansion and development.
The fact that this development is not being welcomed equally by all parties is one of the things that worries us as the U.N., according to Goldson.
“Some country residents are denied access to basic healthcare and education, which has a severe impact on their quality of life overall.
We see this as a chance for the whole community to unite and work toward ensuring that all 8 billion of us live fulfilling lives.”
The U.N. estimates that it would take a further 15 years for the world population to reach 9 billion, with low- and lower middle-income nations like Nigeria accounting for 90% of the growth.
Demand for natural resources is rising.
Authorities must keep an eye on how population increase affects climate change, according to Aminu Zakari, the founder of the Center for Climate Change and one of the conference presenters.
As the population grows, so does the demand for natural resources, according to Zakari.
We should start examining our carbon footprint, in my opinion.
According to Statista, Nigeria’s fertility rates have been progressively falling, from 5.84 births per woman in 2010 to 5.25 in 2020.
However, compared to the worldwide average, that is still high.
Nigeria struggles to provide for the current contraceptive demands. According to experts, the government requires $35 million a year to cover family planning expenses.
President Muhammadu Buhari introduced laws earlier this year to reduce high fertility rates by enhancing access to contraception.
Government efforts to lower fertility, according to the U.N., may result in a general decline in population over the next fifty years but would do nothing to curb the rate of expansion.
For the first time since 1950, the pace of global growth decreased to less than 1% in 2020.
Many people will continue to experience difficulties, according to U.N. officials and experts, unless fertility and fast population growth rates are supported with sustainable economic growth and development.
