Section B - Economic Development in Nigeria

Question 1

Decribe Life Expectancy and Literacy Rate of Nigeria.

Answer 1

54 years Life expectancy (the average for the world is 73 years, which is significantly higher than Nigeria’s life expectancy)
65.1% Literacy rate - This is very low, especially in girls, due to inequality in girls’ and boys’ aspirations.

Question 2

Describe HDI and GDP of Nigeria.

Answer 2

HDI is 158 out of 188 - Low life expectancy and large inequality in wealth have resulted in this low rank.
Nigeria has the highest GDP for Africa and has the 27th largest economy in the world (larger than Norway, Greece and the UAE)

Question 3

Why is Nigeria economically developed?

Answer 3

Nigeria has a large supply of oil, which they sell to the world. Countries that supply oil has large political influence over those that don’t.
Nigeria has the 7th largest population in the world, with 200 million Nigerians calling it home. This is three times bigger than the size of the UK’s population.

Question 4

Describe stage 1 of the Demographic Transitional Model.

Answer 4

Birth Rate- High and Fluctuating
Death Rate- High and Fluctuating
Population Growth rate- Zero
Population Size- Low and Steady
Example Countries- No countries

Question 5

Describe stage 2 of the Demographic Transitional Model.

Answer 5

Birth Rate- High and Steady
Death Rate- Rapidly Falling
Population Growth rate- Very High
Population Size- Rapidly Increasing
Example Countries- Gambia

Question 6

Describe stage 3 of the Demographic Transitional Model.

Answer 6

Birth Rate- Rapidly Falling
Death Rate- Slowly Falling
Population Growth rate- High
Population Size- Increasing
Example Countries- India

Question 7

Describe stage 4 of the Demographic Transitional Model.

Answer 7

Birth Rate- Low and Fluctuating 
Death Rate- Low and Fluctuating 
Population Growth rate- Zero
Population Size- High and Steady
Example Countries- UK

Question 8

Describe stage 5 of the Demographic Transitional Model.

Answer 8

Birth Rate- Slowly Falling
Death Rate- Low and Steady
Population Growth rate- Negative
Population Size- Slowly Falling
Example Countries- Japan

Question 9

Describe Location of Nigeria.

Answer 9

Location:
Nigeria is located in West Africa, sharing a border with Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
To the south, it borders the Gulf of Guinea, part of the Atlantic Ocean.
Nigeria has a range of natural environments, from semi-deserts in the north to tropical rainforests in the south.

Question 10

What is Nigeria’s Importance?

Answer 10

Importance:
Nigeria is the most populous and economically developed country in Africa. Its recent growth, based on the sale of oil, has led to the country’s transformation from a LIC to a NEE.

Question 11

What is Nigeria’s Global Importance?

Answer 11

Global Importance:
According to the World Bank Nigeria had the 31st largest GDP in 2018.
It is the world’s 21st largest economy and has experienced recent rapid growth.
According to the United Nations, it has the 7th largest population in the world.
Nigeria is the 13th largest producer of oil according to the US Energy Information Administration.
Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, is a thriving ‘world city, with a strong financial and economic base.
Nigeria has the second-largest film industry in the world, ahead of the United States and behind India. Nigerian cinema is known as “Nollywood”.
Nigeria plays an important role in United Nations peacekeeping. According to the United Nations “Since the 1960s, Nigeria has been a major contributor of troops and police to United Nations peace operations, having served in dozens of missions.

Question 12

What is Nigeria’s Regional Importance?

Answer 12

Regional Importance:
Nigeria has the fastest growing economy in Africa and the highest GNP on the continent.
Nigeria has the largest population on the continent and the third-largest manufacturing sector.
The country also has the largest agricultural output and the highest number of cattle.
Nigeria has a rich culture. Nigerian music is enjoyed throughout Africa. It is also a hub for literature boasting a range of popular writers.
One of the main founders of the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union or AU) was the president of Nigeria in 1963.

Question 13

Describe the Political History of Nigeria.

Answer 13

Political:
The political map of Africa was drawn up by European colonial powers in 1883. The continent was exploited for natural resources and slavery for many years.
Following its independence from the UK in 1960, Nigeria experienced political instability for several years due to different factions fighting for control.
Civil war ravaged the country between 1967 to 1970.
However, Nigeria has battled to stop its corrupt government. Much of the population has lost trust in the government, which accepts money bribes.
In 1991 the capital moved from Lagos to the newly built city of Abuja.
The country, regarded as stable since 1999, experienced free and fair elections in 2011 and in 2015 it experienced free and fair elections.
The increased confidence in the country has led to considerable economic investment, particularly from China, the USA and South Africa.

Question 14

Describe the Culture/Life in Nigeria.

Answer 14

Cultural/Life:
The population of Nigeria is multi-cultural and multi-faith. It is the land of over 500 languages and hundreds of ethnic groups such as the Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo.
Although social diversity is a considerable strength of Nigeria, it has led to some regional conflicts. The fundamentalist group Boko Haram has hindered economic development through conflict.
Over 70% of the population are farmers, so Nigeria relies predominantly on agriculture & farming.
Nigeria has a variety of landscapes, from hot deserts to tropical rainforests. This means there are many different crops grown, as well as different living conditions.

Question 15

Describe the social aspect of Nigeria.

Answer 15

Social:
Nigeria actually has the second-largest film industry in the world (nicknamed Nollywood!).
Nigeria is socially diverse, with many ethnic groups and religions. This is because Nigeria had many tribes in the past, as well as being ruled by Britain during the British Empire.

Question 16

Describe the environment of Nigeria.

Answer 16

Environmental:
Nigeria spans several climatic regions. To the south, it experiences a tropical climate, whereas toward the north it is much drier.
Rainforest thrives in the equatorial climate in southern Nigeria. Tree crops in this area include cocoa, palm oil and rubber.
To the north, savanna grassland replaces the rainforest. A range of field crops is typical here, including cotton and millet. Cattle also graze the savanna.
Semi-desert is found in the very north of Nigeria. The nomadic grazing of cattle is the primary type of agriculture in the region.

Question 17

Describe the Industrial Structure of Nigeria.

Answer 17

Industrial Structure:
Despite its rapid growth in GDP, Nigeria is a country with a significant inequality gap. Wealth is typically found in the south, in and around Lagos. However, the north is exceptionally poor. Almost half of Nigeria’s population live on less than US$1 per day.
The structure of Nigeria’s economy has changed significantly. Its economy has transformed from one mainly based on agriculture to manufacturing and services. Around 52% of Nigeria’s GDP now comes from manufacturing and services.
Mechanisation and rural-urban migration have led to a decline in the number of people employed in agriculture.
Manufacturing and services have grown as a result of Nigeria’s increased political stability. Countries such as China, the USA and South Africa have heavily invested in Nigeria.
There has also been consider

Question 18

What are the TNCs in Nigeria?

Answer 18

Royal Dutch Shell (UK & Netherlands)
The most influential TNCs in Nigeria are oil companies - Foreign companies such as Royal Dutch Shell that invest in Nigeria and buy rights to export oil from the country.

Question 19

What is Nigeria’s TNC?

Answer 19

Nigeria has its own TNC - Transcorp - which provides hospitality services across the globe, as well as energy.

Question 20

What are benefits of TNC to Nigeria?

Answer 20

Foreign TNCs are important to Nigeria because they influence Nigeria’s economy directly: Local businesses benefit as they provide resources to Shell Oil locally, e.g. the building materials needed to build the factories. Shell Oil provides 250,000 of these indirect jobs. Provides employment for Nigerians, e.g. on oil rigs, transporting the oil, etc. Shell oil directly employs 65,000 people
Foreign oil TNCs can invest in new production & mining sites, which provide more jobs.
In addition, TNCs also share technology across countries; for example, new safety measures or mining practices developed in a different country can be shared with Nigerian oil workers.

Question 21

What are the impacts of oil leak caused by TNCs in Nigeria?

Answer 21

Farmland has been damaged by leaking oil pipes meaning crops no longer grow in some areas.
Oil pollution from tankers and damaged pipelines kills fish in the sea and the delta. When gas is burned off from the oil greenhouse gases are released, contributing to climate change.
The process also causes respiratory problems for local people.
Around 40 million litres of oil are spilt in the Niger Delta each year compared to 4m in the US.
In the Niger Delta, the contamination of fish and crops has destroyed livelihoods, destroyed local employment opportunities and pushed many into militancy.
Life expectancy in the Niger Delta is ten years below the national average.
A 2018 study by the Journal of Health and Pollution found that more than 12,000 oil spills have occurred in the oil-rich region between 1976 and 2014.
Pipeline corrosion and tanker accidents caused more than 50 per cent of them.
Other incidents have been caused by operational error, mechanical failure, and sabotage mostly from militant groups, the study said.

Question 22

What is Nigeria’s Political Relationship with Britain?

Answer 22

Trade between Britain and West Africa has occurred for over 300 years. Britain traded enslaved African people, taking them to America and the Caribbean. Following the abolition of slavery in 1807, the trade turned to palm oil, used in Britain to make soap.
During the 1800s Nigeria, along with much of Africa, was part of the British Empire. Nigeria became independent in 1960. By this time the trade relationship had become one where raw materials were exported to Britain and Nigeria imported manufactured goods.
How are the relationships changing:
Despite still trading with the UK, Nigeria now conducts most of its trade with some of the world’s largest economies including the EU, USA and India.
Since becoming independent oil has become Nigeria’s main natural commodity export. However, the country still imports manufactured goods such as chemicals and machinery.

Question 23

What is China’s Influence on Nigeria?

Answer 23

China’s Influence:
China is Nigeria’s leading import partner. China’s influence does not stop here, as it has also invested heavily in Nigeria.
An example of investment in Nigeria by China includes the construction of the 1400km coastal railway.
However, China also benefits from developing relationships. To meet its significant demand for resources, China is investing $10 billion into exploring and drilling in a new oilfield in Nigeria.

Question 24

Why does Nigeria need Aid?

Answer 24

Nigeria’s Need for Aid:
One of the main reasons why Nigeria receives a considerable amount of aid is due to the significant inequality of wealth within the country.
According to the UK Department for International Development, despite having the largest economy in Africa, around a third of Nigerians (60 million) live below the national poverty line with around another third just above.

Question 25

What are the issues in Nigeria?

Answer 25

Issues in Nigeria:
a low life expectancy at 53.87 in 2017 according to World Bank, high birth rates at 5.5 children per woman, the high infant mortality rate at 100 child deaths under-5 (per 1,000 live births), low literacy rates with only 44% of children attending secondary school, only 42% of children aged 12-23 months being immunised against measles
violence and protests occur in the Niger Delta relating to oil wealth and its impact on the environment, terrorism in the north, by groups such as Boko Haram, the high death rate from Malaria

Question 26

What is the problem of giving aid to Nigeria?

Answer 26

The problem of giving aid to Nigeria:
Aid isn’t always used effectively in Nigeria because:
Corruption in the government and individuals means aid is lost or not given to the right people
There have been claims aid money has been used to supply the Navy
Donors of aid may have political influence over who does and does not benefit. They may use donations to promote themselves.
Few governments or international agencies now give aid directly to the Nigerian government

Question 27

How does Nigeria benefit from aid?

Answer 27

Nigeria’s Benefits from aid:
Nets for Life project provides education on Malaria and give mosquito nets to households to prevent the spread of the disease
World Bank-funded loans to businesses to help diversify the economy away from being dependent on oil so that new businesses and industries are developed
The UK government has funded health and HIV programmes providing health and education in rural areas. This will help to protect people against infection in the future and help them to work and improve their own lives.

Question 28

What are the environmental impacts of economic development?

Answer 28

The oil company Royal Dutch Shell has caused devastating environmental pollution due to two massive oil spills at Bodo in Ogoniland, a small region of the Niger delta.
In 2008 there was a rupture of the Bodo-Bonny trans-Niger pipeline that pumps 120,000 barrels of oil a day through the community.
20 sq km of creeks and inlets, on which Bodo and as many as 30 other settlements depend, have been destroyed.
At the time, no attempt was made to clean up the spill, which has collected in creeks, washes in and out with the tide and has infiltrated farmland and entered the water table.
Compensation has been paid to the community, however, none of this was spent on cleaning up the area.
It is estimated that it will cost more than $100m to clear the effects of the oil and restore the mangrove swamps that once lined the rivers and creeks.
It was not until an investigation by the United Nations that steps were taken to clean up the area, some 10 years after the spill.
toxic chemical discharge into drains and open sewers in cities such as Lagos and Kano. This poses a considerable danger to public health and ecosystems
the widespread emission of poisonous gases that affect the health of local people and contribute to climate change
up to 80% of Nigeria’s forests have been lost. Deforestation has led to increased soil erosion and an increase in climate change gases being released into the atmosphere. An important carbon store has been lost due to deforestation.

Question 29

What are the economic impacts of economic development?

Answer 29

Although many people remain poor, particularly in Nigeria’s rural north, its Human Development Index (HDI) has increased steadily since 2005 from below 0.47 to 0.532. The country has one of the fastest-growing rates of HDI in the world.
A number of quality of life indicators have improved significantly over the last 30 years.