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  • In 2012, the volume of Point of Sale (POS) transactions in Nigeria was nearly 2.6 million, valued at ₦48 billion. As of 2022, it had grown to nearly four billion transactions worth ₦41 trillion. The volume and value of POS transactions surged between 2020 and 2022.

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    23 African countries are in one phase or the other in launching a digital currency
    Senegal's cancellation of its experiment with an eCFA in 2016 makes Nigeria's eNaira the only active Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in Africa. Half of the countries in Africa are currently not doing anything about CBDC, while a larger share of the other half is currently in the research phase.
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  • Top ten African countries by estimated number of films produced annually

    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.

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    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.

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  • 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?

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    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.
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  • Twelve Nigerian banks listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) reported a total profit of ₦3.42 trillion in 2023, with all banks making a profit and seeing increases from 2022. The top four banks — Zenith Bank, Access Holdings, UBA, and GTCO — contributed 71% of this amount. Zenith Bank saw a 202% increase from the previous year and led the way with ₦676.9 billion, while Access Bank recorded the highest increase in profits (307%). Jaiz Bank made the least profit (₦11.2 billion) followed by Sterling Bank (₦21.6 billion) and Wema Bank (₦36 billion).

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  • A Trend of Adult literacy rates of African countries

    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.

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  • Top ten African countries by estimated number of films produced annually

    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.

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Other Insights
 
  • Africa's migrant stock continues to rise, with several countries exceeding one million migrants in 2015.
  • Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo round out the top ten, with over half a million migrants each.
  • Despite being Africa's youngest country, South Sudan ranked sixth, showing the country's rapid migration growth.
  • South Africa has led since 2010, despite facing fluctuations in the migrant stock.
  • East Africa sees significant migration, with Kenya and Ethiopia both exceeding one million migrants.
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Key takeaways:

  • From 2012 to 2024, the refugee population in the United States increased by approximately 66%, growing from 262,006 to 435,333.
  • The overall trend indicates steady growth in the number of refugees in America, despite a brief period of stabilisation during 2020-2021.
  • The years from 2022 to 2024 demonstrate a significant rise, with annual totals increasing by more than 72,000 refugees during this time frame.
  • The figure for 2024, at 435,333 refugees, represents the highest number of refugees recorded from 2012 to 2024.
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  • Crude oil prices peaked at $93.12 in April, marking the highest point of the year before experiencing fluctuations in the following months.
  • A steady decline in the last quarter saw prices drop to $74.72 in December, the lowest recorded price of 2024.
  • The decline in prices from September onward raised concerns about potential revenue shortfalls, impacting government budgets and foreign exchange earnings.
  • Oil prices remained unstable throughout the year, with significant fluctuations driven by geopolitical factors, global demand shifts, and production adjustments.
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Key takeaways:  

  • Nigeria’s internet data usage increased from 721,522 TB in January to 973,455.35 TB in December, reflecting a 35% growth over the year.
  • The peak in consumption occurred in December 2024, while January 2024 recorded the lowest usage.
  • Despite a consistent upward trend during the year, a decline in internet usage was observed in February (694,804.54 TB) and September (850,249.09 TB).
  • The most significant jump in Nigeria's internet consumption was observed between November and December, with an increase of approximately 95,000 TB.
  • Throughout 2024, Nigeria experienced an average monthly increase of about 23,000 TB.
  • Nigeria's total internet data consumption reached 9.76 million terabytes (TB) in 2024, representing a 34% increase compared to 2023.
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Key takeaways:

  • Nigeria's life expectancy increased by 17.02% in 24 years, from 47 years in 2000 to 55 years in 2024.
  • Women had a higher life expectancy than men during the period.
  • Nigeria's life expectancy is expected to reach 56 years by 2030, based on past growth rates.
  • In 2024, women's life expectancy matched the overall life expectancy for that year.
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  • Nigeria's Central Bank has adjusted the minimum capital requirement for commercial banks three times in two decades.
  • The newest capital requirements will see an over 300% increase in capital requirement across all commercial banking licences.
  • Banks with international licences will see the biggest jump in capital requirement, needing 900% more capital under the new rules.
  • Banks have undertaken rights issuance, public offers and private placements to meet the 2026 deadline.
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Debt Stock to GDP Ratio (%), 2020 - 2025
 
  • External debt is set to surpass domestic debt by 2025, reaching a peak of 28.3% of GDP, which indicates a major shift in Ethiopia’s debt strategy.
  • Ethiopia’s external debt-to-GDP ratio dropped consistently from 26.8% in 2020 to 13.7% in 2024, but a sharp increase is projected for 2025.
  • Domestic debt peaked at 27.1% in 2021 before declining steadily to 18.7% in 2024, with a further decline expected in 2025 (14.5%).
  • The sharp rise in external debt in 2025 suggests a major policy shift, possibly driven by the need for foreign capital or declining domestic financing options.
  • The decline in domestic debt may indicate reduced government borrowing from local sources, which could have implications for local financial markets and inflation.
  • Foreign debt reliance increases exposure to currency risks and external economic conditions, which could affect Ethiopia’s financial stability in the long run.
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  • Spotify’s expansion into Nigeria in 2021 opened the market to global streaming, contributing to the rapid rise of Nigerian artistes on the platform.
  • Nigerian artistes saw significant revenue growth, earning over ₦11 billion in 2022 and exceeding ₦25 billion in streaming royalties by 2023.
  • Rema’s "Calm Down" became the first African song to surpass one billion streams, with the milestone first reached in 2023.
  • Spotify’s influence on Afrobeats has been reinforced through curated campaigns like "Afrobeats: Journey of a Billion Streams" and multiple industry events.
  • Nigerian music continues to dominate local streaming, with Asake ranked as the country’s most-streamed artist on Spotify in 2024.
  • Spotify has increased its investment in Nigeria’s creative industry by hosting major events, such as the annual Wrapped Party and the two-day Afrobeats Celebration Event in 2023.
  • Spotify’s partnership with United Masters in 2025 signals continued support for emerging Nigerian artistes, strengthening global opportunities for independent talent.
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Federal government expenditure on Presidency Amnesty Programme (2015 - 2024)
 
  • ₦1.9 trillion spent on the PAP from 2015 to 2024, a significant amount dedicated to reintegrating former militants and fostering peace in the Niger Delta.
  • 2017 saw an extraordinary spike with ₦1.3 trillion spent, which is over 68% of the entire decade’s spending.
  • Expenditure stabilized after 2017, maintaining a consistent ₦59.6 billion - ₦65 billion annually from 2018 to 2024.
  • 2024 spending (₦65 billion) reflects only the first three quarters, meaning the final total could be slightly higher.
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Market share by mobile phone generation (2024)
 
  • 2G is still widely used but has dropped significantly from 57.78% in January to 41.59% in December.
  • 4G has become the dominant mobile network in Nigeria, surpassing 2G by mid-2024 and maintaining a steady increase in market share.
  • 3G remains stable, averaging around 9% market share,
  • 5G adoption is slow but rising, increasing from 1.11% in January to 2.46% in December.
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Forms of economic cost of violence (2023)
 
  • The world spent $19.1 trillion on violence in 2023, accounting for 13.5% of global GDP.
  • Military and internal security spending make up 74% of this cost.
  • Homicides alone cost the global economy $1.34 trillion, highlighting the economic toll of crime beyond loss of life.
  • Private security is now a $1.15 trillion industry, as businesses and individuals invest heavily in safety.
  • Violent crime resulted in $760 billion in economic losses, affecting productivity, businesses, and legal systems worldwide.
  • Spending on security competes with development needs, diverting resources from education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
  • The cost per person globally is $2,380, illustrating how violence impacts individuals, not just governments or corporations.
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  • Instant messaging leads with 94% usage, reflecting its role as the primary communication tool for Nigerians.
  • Social media is used by 91% of mobile internet users, but only 65% engage with it for business purposes, showing its dominance in personal interactions.
  • Online voice and video calls are highly popular, emphasising a shift toward real-time digital communication.
  • Only 45% access government services, while 41% use online health platforms, indicating gaps in essential digital services.
  • Agriculture-related internet use is the lowest at 25%, highlighting the rural digital divide and limited online resources for the sector.
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Key takeaways:
  • February 2024 saw the largest month-on-month rise in inflation, climbing nearly 2% from 23.59% in January 2024.
  • Nigeria experienced brief periods of relief, with slight drops in core inflation during November 2023 and September 2024.
  • From May 2023 to December 2024, the inflation rate fluctuated within the 20% to 30% range.
  • December 2023 registered the highest inflation rate during the first eight months of the observed period.
  • The core inflation rate dropped to 22.59% in January 2025 from 29.28% in December 2024 due to the Consumer Price Index rebasing from 2009 to 2024.
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Key takeaways:
  • Libya's total revenue (85.78% of GDP) significantly surpassed all other African states.
  • Lesotho is noteworthy with the second-highest total revenue ratio at 48.12%.
  • Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tomé & Príncipe in Western Africa recorded total revenue of 30.79% and 25.38% respectively.
  • South Africa generated 27.74% of its GDP in revenue.
  • The top ten countries reported total revenue exceeding 28%.
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  • The South-South remitted ₦121.84B, making it one of the biggest net donors to the national VAT pool.
  • The region received only ₦52.49B, meaning it got back just 43% of its VAT contributions.
  • Rivers State alone remitted a staggering ₦90.21B (74% of the region’s total) but received only ₦11.01B (12.2% return), marking one of the worst VAT allocation disparities in Nigeria.
  • Cross River had the lowest VAT contribution (₦1.55B) but received ₦7.45B, a 380% gain, while Bayelsa, despite remitting ₦12.8B, received only ₦8.02B, less than lower-remitting states like Delta (₦9.05B).
  • Every state in the South-South received more than it remitted, except for Bayelsa and Rivers, with the latter being the only state to suffer a massive VAT deficit.
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  • East Africa: Ethiopia leads with 36.2 million agricultural workers (27.3% of its 132.5 million population). Agriculture is vital to its economy. Tanzania follows with 19.2 million workers (approximately 28.8% of 66.6 million). Uganda has 23.4% of its 50 million population in agriculture, and Kenya employs 7.6 million workers (approximately 13.7% of 55.3 million), despite land degradation affecting 80% of its land.
  • West Africa: Nigeria has 26.8 million agricultural workers, but with a population of 232 million, it heavily depends on food imports as only 11.5% of its population work in the agriculture section. Ghana employs 5.5 million agricultural workers (16% of 34.4 million) and has strong potential for agricultural export growth, especially cocoa.
  • Central Africa: DR Congo has 18.6 million agricultural workers out of a population of 109.2 million.
  • Southern Africa: Mozambique has 9.9 million agricultural workers 29% of 34.6 million, while Madagascar employs 10.5 million (33% of 31.9 million). Agriculture is key to Madagascar’s economy but hindered by land issues, with women producing 80% of crops.
  • North Africa: Egypt has 5.7 million agricultural workers (5% of 116.5 million), and relies on irrigation due to limited arable land and high food imports.
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  • North Africa dominates with 53.8% of Africa’s total reserves.
  • West Africa holds 17.6%, despite economic challenges.
  • Southern Africa accounts for 20.3%, benefiting from strong reserves in South Africa.
  • East Africa lags behind with 4.4%, indicating lower reserve accumulation in the region.
  • Central Africa holds the smallest share at 4%, reflecting economic struggles and weak financial buffers.
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  • Libya leads Africa’s reserves with $92.4B, followed by Algeria ($81.2B) and South Africa ($62.5B).
  • Morocco $36.3B reserve places it fourth among African nations.
  • Egypt’s holds $33.1B, maintaining a strong reserve position.
  • Angola ($13.9B), Tunisia ($9.24B), Kenya ($7.34B), Mauritius ($7.25B), and DR Congo ($5.1B) round out the top 10.
  • Libya and Algeria’s strong reserves highlight North Africa’s dominance in the Black continent reserve.
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