In 2020, 5.2 million metric tons of cocoa were produced globally, with four African countries — Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon — accounting for 68% of the produce.
Nigeria's VAT revenue has grown every year since 2013, reaching ₦3.6 trillion in 2023. The amount collected in 2023 exceeded 2022’s by ₦1.13 trillion — a 45% increase.
The Nigerian movie industry, mainly financed via public or private funding and international grants, produces the most films in Africa, yearly. Nigeria produced more than double the number of films that the Ghanaian and Kenyan movie industries produce annually.
Nigeria was the seventh most populous nation in the world in 2020, with 206.1 million people. Projected to reach a population of 401.3 million by 2050, Nigeria will rank third after India (1st) and China (2nd). According to Institut national d'études démographiques' projections, Nigeria, Ethiopia, DR Congo, Egypt, Tanzania, and Kenya will be among the world’s top 20 most populous countries by 2050.
Every Nigerian president since 1999 left office with a higher dollar to naira exchange rate than when they took office. Will President Tinubu's tenure be the exception?
Only 10% of Nigerians earn above ₦100,000, according to the Nigerian Financial Services Market Report. This aligns with most reports about Nigeria, and it's in sharp contrast to the narratives online.
Per projections made by Goldman Sachs, China should lead the global economy in terms of GDP by the year 2075, closely followed by India and the US. Nigeria and Egypt are the only African countries expected to be in the top 15 by that time.
Between 2018 and 2021, adult literacy rates across African nations exhibited significant disparities. Seychelles and South Africa led with literacy rates of 96% and 95%, respectively, indicating a high proportion of literate adults. Conversely, Chad had the lowest literacy rate during this period.
These statistics underscore the uneven progress in educational attainment across Africa, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to improve literacy in lower-performing nations.
The Nigerian movie industry, mainly financed via public or private funding and international grants, produces the most films in Africa, yearly. Nigeria produced more than double the number of films that the Ghanaian and Kenyan movie industries produce annually.
In December 2024, the top five states with the highest average kerosene prices were: Abuja (₦2,950.0), Akwa Ibom (₦2,538.3), Kaduna (₦2,510.6), Cross River (₦2,430.7), and Sokoto (₦2,400.1).
Abuja recorded the highest average price of kerosene in December 2024, while Borno state recorded the lowest price.
The price of kerosene per litre ranged from ₦1,520.4 to ₦2,950 across Nigerian states in December 2024.
The percentage difference in the price of kerosene across Nigeria states in December 2024 is approximately 63.9%.
Airtel Africa leads the Nigerian stock market with a market cap of ₦8.11 trillion naira, followed by Dangote Cement at ₦8.10 trillion and BUA Foods at ₦7.52 trillion.
The largest public companies in Nigeria are mostly in financial services, industrial goods and consumer goods.
A total of 16 Nigerian public companies have surpassed the ₦1 trillion market cap threshold.
The lowest-ranked trillion-naira company, First HolCo, has a ₦1 trillion naira market cap.
The boneless beef price recorded the largest increase of more than ₦3,620 on average, followed closely by dried catfish (+₦3,619.35) and frozen chicken (+₦3,583.82).
Prices of major animal proteins have more than doubled, with price increases ranging from ₦1,900 to ₦3,630 on average.
The top 20 food items saw price hikes of at least ₦1,900.
The cost of a medium-sized crate of eggs more than tripled between May 2023 and December 2024.
Women-led businesses in Africa raise significantly less funding than male-led counterparts. In 2017, female-led startups secured only $1 for every $25 raised by male-led startups, and this disparity persisted through 2024.
Despite making up 26% of all entrepreneurs in Africa, women receive less than 10% of total investment capital.
Women in Africa face structural financing challenges, including limited collateral, fewer investment networks, and biases in lending decisions.
While some countries have introduced financial inclusion programmes, overall access to credit for women remains disproportionately low.
The rise of women-focused venture funds, such as WIC Capital and Janngo, signals a slow but emerging shift towards more equitable funding distribution.
If this trend continues, Africa risks stifling economic growth by not fully leveraging the entrepreneurial potential of women-led businesses.
68.9% of non-custodial sentences fall under community service. This sentencing method is by far the most utilised, indicating a strong preference for rehabilitation through public work.
Restorative justice is gaining traction (18.9%), emphasising reconciliation between offenders and victims rather than punitive measures.
Probation is the least utilised; despite being a common alternative to detention in other systems, probation accounts for just 5.6% of non-custodial sentences in Nigeria.
6.7% of cases fall under "others," which could include lesser-known alternatives such as conditional discharge or special rehabilitation programmes.
For every woman sentenced to a non-custodial measure, there are nearly 12 men (35:415), highlighting a strong gender disparity in non-custodial sentencing.
Men account for more than 9 out of every 10 non-custodial cases (92%), suggesting that crimes leading to these sentences are far more common among male offenders.
Women’s representation in non-custodial sentencing is much lower than their general crime conviction rates, indicating potential differences in crime type, judicial discretion, or rehabilitation approaches.
Mozambique has the fewest individuals requiring support from the United Nations.
The UN plans to help 3.6 million of the 7.8 million people in Nigeria who require assistance.
Sudan is the only Northern African country recorded by the UN as having people in need.
In East and Southern Africa, the countries with the highest and lowest numbers of individuals in need are Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, respectively.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Niger have the highest and lowest number of individuals needing assistance, respectively, in West and Central Africa.
In February 2016, petrol was at its lowest price of₦99.80 per litre, marking the last time fuel prices remained below₦100.
By November 2024, petrol prices soared to an all-time high of₦1,214.17 per litre, reflecting the compounded effects of inflation, currency depreciation, and global oil price volatility.
Over the nine-year period, the average petrol price stood at₦272.65 per litre.
Between January 2016 and December 2024, petrol prices increased by ₦1,079.52, a staggering 984.96% rise, emphasising the long-term upward trajectory influenced by economic challenges, subsidy removals, and fluctuating exchange rates.
The most volatile period recorded a month-to-month price surge of over 129.23%.
Nigeria’s active mobile GSM lines reached an all-time high of 224 million in 2023, up from 222 million in 2022.
The number of active lines has grown steadily from 40 million in 2007, with notable surges in 2012 (110 million), 2018 (172 million), and 2020 (204 million).
Growth slowed between 2016 and 2017, where active lines dipped slightly from 154 million to 145 million, before resuming an upward trajectory.
With over 220 million active lines, Nigeria remains one of Africa’s largest telecom markets, driven by increasing mobile adoption.
Unlike other regions, Southern Africa’s debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to increase by 5.8 percentage points, reaching 77.4% by 2028.
Northern Africa is set to achieve the largest debt-to-GDP decline of 14.7 percentage points, from 84.2% to 69.5%, indicating significant fiscal adjustments.
Central Africa is expected to see a 12 percentage point drop, reducing its debt-to-GDP ratio from 45.8% to 33.8%.
West Africa’s debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to fall by 4.3 percentage points, while Eastern Africa is expected to drop by 5.2 percentage points, both showing signs of improved debt management.
Even with the projected declines, some regions like Northern Africa (69.5%) and Southern Africa (77.4%) will still have high debt burdens compared to others like Central Africa (33.8%).
The declining debt-to-GDP ratios in most regions suggest either economic expansion or strategic debt control, but Southern Africa’s increase indicates potential fiscal stress.