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The Context: A Brief Overview of Nigeria
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| Nearly half of all Nigerians are under the age of 15. |
Nigeria—the most populous country on the African continent, and home to one in four sub-Saharan Africans—is a nation of tremendous ethnic, cultural, religious, and geographic diversity, home to 250 different ethnic groups. Despite substantial internal migration and diversity, the country can be informally divided into three main regions: the South (the agricultural and commercial center, home to the Yoruba ethnic group, and predominantly Christian), the North (the traditional base of military power, home to the Hausa and Fulani ethnic groups, and predominantly Muslim), and the East (the site of Nigeria's vast oil reserves, and home to the Ibo ethnic group). Even with these regional divisions, Nigeria has remained united over four decades of change and conflict as one of most regionally pivotal, politically complex, and internationally influential countries in Africa.
A federal republic of 36 states, Nigeria achieved independence from British colonial rule in 1960, and since then has withstood one civil war, two military dictatorships, and decades of sporadic ethnic and religious conflict. In 1999, Nigeria made a peaceful transition to civilian rule under the leadership of President Olsegun Obasanjo, and in 2003, Obasanjo was elected for a second term. Although the recent transition to civilian government has ushered in an era of newfound civil and political freedom, many challenges remain. Nigeria is the seventh-largest oil-producing nation in the world, with substantial mineral and agricultural resources, yet 65 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. In 2000, 12 states in the North adopted Shari'ah Islamic penal codes, curtailing the human rights of women and fueling religious tensions between Christians and Muslims in the country's northern and central regions. And despite the tremendous human resources and potential that the country's 137 million citizens represent, widespread social and economic inequalities, a crumbling infrastructure, and an accelerating HIV/AIDS pandemic are all significant impediments to Nigeria's future development.
Nigeria at a glance
Government type: Federal Republic of 36 states led by President Umaru Yar'Adua
Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani (many others)
Ethnic groups: More than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%; Yoruba 21%; Ibo 18%; Ijaw 10%; Kanuri 4%; Ibibio 3.5%; Tiv 2.5%
Religious beliefs: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Labor force: agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20%
Total population: 137 million
Percent of the population under the age of 15: 44%
Urban population: 36%
Life expectancy: 52 years
Focus on reproductive health
Total fertility rate (average number of children born to a woman in her lifetime): 5.7
Contraceptive prevalence rate (among married women aged 14-49): 8% (modern methods); 12% (all methods)
Maternal mortality ratio (maternal deaths per 100,000 live births): 1,100
In Nigeria abortion is legal to save the life of the woman.
Focus on young women
Percentage of single females aged 15-19 who are sexually active: 10.2%
Percentage of females aged 15-19 who are currently married: 37%
Women's average age at first marriage: 17
Percentage of females who have given birth by age 20: 54%
Focus on HIV/AIDS
Percentage of adults living with HIV/AIDS: 5.7%
Percentage of adults living with HIV/AIDS who are women: 54%
*Number of HIV-positive adults (aged 15-49): 3.3 million
*Number of HIV-positive women (aged 15-49): 1.9 million
Focus on gender
Percentage of female-headed households: 14%
Literacy rate for women (ages 15+): 56%
Literacy rate for men (ages 15+): 72%
Women as a percent of parliament: 3%
In 2000, 50% of women aged 15-64 were participating in the labor force, compared to 87% of men in the same age group.
Source: Population Reference Bureau, www.prb.org
*Source: UNAIDS, www.unaids.org
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