Bite-sized Insights about
 
Providing you with data-based insights about things happening around you.
Search results for
UAE’s population is 88% immigrants as Gabon tops African list with 19% migrant share
  1. The United Arab Emirates tops the list with immigrants making up 88% of its total population.
  2. Qatar follows closely with 87% of its residents being immigrants.
  3. Kuwait (73%) and Bahrain (55%) also feature prominently, showing a regional trend where nationals are a minority and foreign workers form the economic backbone
  4. Middle Eastern dominance in the top rankings highlights how the Gulf region’s economic model is heavily dependent on imported labor and expatriate populations.

Libya, Nigeria, and Algeria held more than 80% of Africa’s recoverable oil reserves in 2024
  • Libya leads Africa with 48.4 billion barrels of recoverable oil, the continent’s highest.
  • Nigeria ranks second with 37.3 billion barrels, accounting for about 27% of reserves among top holders.
  • Algeria holds 12.2 billion barrels, rounding out the top three and far ahead of other nations.
  • Sudan, Egypt, and Angola each contribute between 2.5 and 5 billion barrels, showing smaller but notable reserves.

South Africa runs Africa’s longest rail network at 20,986km, while Nigeria trails 9th with 3,798km
  • South Africa leads the continent with a vast 20,986km rail network, nearly triple the size of Sudan’s, the second-largest.
  • Nigeria’s rail infrastructure measures 3,798km, ranking it behind Kenya (3,819km) and DR Congo (4,007km).
  • North African countries like Egypt and Algeria maintain significant rail mileage, exceeding 4,000km each.
  • Southern Africa dominates the top five, with Mozambique and Zimbabwe also featuring prominently.

Algeria, Nigeria, Egypt and Libya accounted for 78% of Africa’s 144 active oil rigs in 2024
  • Algeria leads Africa with 41 active oil rigs, making up nearly 29% of the continent's total count.
  • Nigeria follows with 31 rigs, confirming its strong position in West Africa’s upstream oil activity.
  • Egypt ranks third with 23 rigs, while Libya maintains 18 rigs despite its fluctuating political climate.
  • The top seven countries host 122 of Africa’s 144 rigs, showing drilling operations are concentrated in just a handful of nations.

Gabon charges the highest air travel tax in Africa at $298, 229 times more than Libya’s $1.30 fee
  • Gabon imposes Africa’s highest international air travel tax at $297.70, followed closely by Sierra Leone at $294 and Nigeria at $180.
  • Libya charges the lowest air travel tax among the listed African countries at just $1.30, with other low-cost countries including Malawi ($5.00), Lesotho ($5.70), and Algeria ($9.80).
  • All of the 10 most expensive countries charge over $100 in departure taxes, suggesting a trend of high levies among a subset of African nations.
  • The gap between the highest and lowest air travel taxes in Africa exceeds $296, revealing significant disparities in passenger costs across the continent.

The United States, Canada, and Iran account for over 50% of the world’s 1,802 active oil rigs in 2024, with Nigeria ranking 15th globally with 31 rigs
  • The United States remains the undisputed leader with 589 active rigs, accounting for nearly a third of all rigs worldwide in 2024.
  • Canada (162 rigs) and Iran (117 rigs) follow as the second and third highest contributors to global drilling activity.
  • Middle Eastern producers dominate the top 10, with Kuwait (80), UAE (73), Saudi Arabia (70), Iraq (62), and Oman (50) collectively operating 335 rigs.
  • Nigeria ranks 15th globally with 31 active rigs, making it one of only two African nations in the global top 20.
  • The top 10 countries account for over 75% of the world’s active rigs, reflecting the continued concentration of drilling infrastructure in a handful of key oil-producing regions.

Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and Iran hold over 50% of the world’s 1.57 trillion barrels in recoverable crude oil reserves, with Nigeria among top 10
  • The world’s total proven recoverable crude oil reserves stand at 1.57 trillion barrels in 2024.
  • Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and Iran collectively hold over 50% of these reserves, with 303.2B, 267.2B, and 208.6B barrels respectively.
  • Nigeria ranks 10th globally with 37.3 billion barrels, placing it ahead of other major producers like Kazakhstan, China, and Brazil.
  • The majority of the largest reserves are concentrated in Middle Eastern and South American countries, with only a few top holders located in North America, Africa, and Asia.

India leads global banana production with 36.6M tonnes in 2024 as Nigeria ranks 4th among top producers with 7.3M tonnes
  • India dominates global banana output with 36.6 million tonnes, accounting for over a third of total production among the top 10 countries.
  • China (11.7M) and Indonesia (9.34M) round out the top three, contributing significantly to Asia’s dominance in banana farming.
  • Nigeria ranks 4th globally, producing 7.3 million tonnes, slightly ahead of Ecuador and Brazil.
  • Africa is well represented, with Nigeria, Angola, and Tanzania collectively contributing 15.86 million tonnes, or about 16% of the top 10 output.

Private universities dominate Nigeria’s higher education sector, accounting for 53% of all universities in Nigeria
  • Private universities in Nigeria outnumber federal and state institutions combined.
  • Nigeria has 159 private universities, more than double the number of federal universities.
  • Federal universities stand at 72, showing steady federal government investment in tertiary education.
  • State-owned universities number 66, slightly fewer than federal universities but forming a significant part of public education.

Nigeria’s outstanding debt to the World Bank has grown nearly 100-fold since 1970, reaching $17.8 billion in 2024
  • Nigeria’s outstanding debt to the World Bank rose from $180 million in 1970 to $17.81 billion in 2024, a nearly 100-fold increase in 54 years.
  • The balance remained below $5 billion until 2013, but more than tripled between 2013 and 2024, signalling accelerated reliance on multilateral credit.
  • From 2020 to 2024, the outstanding debt rose by $6.4 billion, the sharpest five-year surge on record.
  • The figures reflect a steady accumulation of obligations, driven by long-term borrowing and slower repayment relative to disbursement.

1 2 3 4 5 34

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Please fill the form below
Contact Form Demo
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Get periodic updates about the African startup space, access to our reports, among others.
Subscribe Here
Subscription Form

A product of Techpoint Africa. All rights reserved