Discussion - Population structure for Nigeria

Question 1

Describe Nigeria’s 2019 population pyramid

Answer 1

Nigeria’s 2019 population pyramid is concave and pyramidal, with a youthful population (54% of the population from figure 3). The UK’s young dependants make up 23.6% of the population. This means that the range in the proportion of young dependants between the 2 countries is 30.4%. This shows that Nigeria has a high birth and death rate with a life expectancy of 52 years.

Question 2

Give a social reason for the high birth rate in Nigeria.

Answer 2

Nigeria has a high IMR of 200 infant deaths per every 1000 live births. The world average IMR is 65 deaths per 1000 live births. Because of this, parents are likely to have more kids to compensate for the high likelihood that some of them will die at a young age.

Question 3

Give an economic reason for the high death rate in Nigeria

Answer 3

There is a lack of funding for medical facilities to treat prevalent diseases such as HIV and Malaria (there are 300000 deaths per year due to Malaria in Nigeria) and there are very few doctors (30 per 100000 of the population from graph 1).

Question 4

Give another social reason for Nigeria’s high birth rate

Answer 4

There is a lack of pensions available meaning that parents will rely on their children to provide for them in their elderly years.

Question 5

Give a religious reason for the high birth rate in Nigeria.

Answer 5

Certain groups of women such as Muslim and traditionalist women, women who live in poor households and women who are not well educated have higher fertility leading to a higher birth rate in Nigeria.