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  • Nigeria repaid an average of $368m in external debt every year between 2008 and 2017. In 2018, the payments increased by 217% to $1.47b from $464m in 2017, then dropped by 9.4% in 2019, and has since been on the rise. Here are Nigeria's external debt repayments since 2008.
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    Nigerians made up 6.5% of international students in the United Kingdom as of 2022
    In the 2021/2022 academic year, 2.86 million students studied in UK's higher education institutions, with 680k (23.8%) being international students. Nigerians accounted for 44k (6.5%) of overseas students in the UK, trailing China's 151k (22.3%) and India's 126k (18.6%).
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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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    Africa's sanitation crisis is alarming, with 17 of the top 20 countries having the highest open defecation rates.

    Eritrea (67%), Niger (65%), and Chad (63%) lead, putting millions at risk of disease.

    Even Nigeria, the most populous African country, has 18% of its population practising it.

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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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    The FAAC's revenue distribution from 2017 to August 2023 highlights the dominance of Delta, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Bayelsa states in allocations. Despite Lagos' economic prominence, it ranked fifth. Here is the distribution of revenue among states between 2017 and August 2023.

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  • Nigeria ranked 2nd after India in Chainalysis' 2023 Global Crypto Adoption Index. However, it ranked 1st in the peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange trade volume sub-index, which has 6 other African countries in the top 10. Here are the leading countries in P2P crypto trading volume.

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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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  • 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.

    See more
Other Insights
 
  • The Western Pacific Region is projected to lead globally in nursing personnel by 2030, with an estimated 9.7 million nurses — more than Africa and Southeast Asia combined.
  • The Americas (8.9M) and Europe (8.2M) are expected to follow, maintaining high nurse-to-population ratios.
  • Africa (2.1M) and the Eastern Mediterranean (1.5M) are projected to remain lowest, despite growing health needs.
  • South-East Asia (5.5M) shows steady growth but still lags behind the top three regions.
  • The global nursing workforce is projected to reach 35.9 million by 2030, up 73% from 2013 — but growth remains uneven.
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  • Company Income Tax (Non-Oil) emerged as the largest contributor, accounting for over 30% of total tax revenue.
  • NCS-Import VAT followed closely, contributing 23.63%, emphasising the significance of import-related taxes to Nigeria's revenue.
  • Traditional oil-based taxes such as Petroleum Profit Tax/Hydrocarbon Tax and CIT (Oil & Gas) jointly contributed over 26%, showing that oil remains a vital but declining pillar.
  • Newer tax streams like the Electronic Money Transfer Levy and NASENI (National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure) funding have emerged, but still make up less than 2% of total revenue.
  • Minor tax categories like Capital Gains Tax, NITDEF (National Information Technology Development Fund), and NPTFL (Nigeria Police Trust Fund) had negligible impact, each contributing less than 0.5%
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  • The United States of America led the production of black liquor with 696.0PJ produced, making up 38.9% of the global total produced in 2023.
  • South Africa is the only African country producing black liquor with 16.4PJ produced, making up 1% of the global total.
  • The total amount of black liquor produced globally in 2023 was 1,787PJ.
  • Sweden, Canada, Finland and Japan produced 185.1PJ (10.4%), 157.9PJ (8.8%), 142.5PJ (8.0%), and 133.0PJ (7.4%), respectively.
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  • Per-user data usage more than doubled in 29 months.
  • The surge [was] driven by heavier usage, not more users.
  • February dips and year-end spikes show seasonal habits.
  • 2024 marked a lasting shift to higher monthly data use.

 

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  • In 1970, about 76.7% of Nigerian women of reproductive age were married, compared to 66.4% in 2024.
  • The trend shows a consistent decline in marriage rates among women of reproductive age over the past five decades.
  • Marriage among reproductive-age women in Nigeria is projected to drop further to 64.5% by 2030.
  • Between 1985 and 2005, the marriage rate among women in this group declined more sharply than in previous decades.
  • The data indicates a gradual but steady societal shift away from early or widespread marriage.
  • Modern factors such as education, urbanisation, and career options likely contribute to this ongoing decline.
  • This decline in marriage rates may have ripple effects on fertility trends, family size, and national planning.
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  • South Sudan and Zimbabwe have crossed 100% food inflation.
  • Three of the top five countries with the highest food inflation in Africa are in East Africa, showing a regional pattern of vulnerability.
  • Nigeria ranks 7th in Africa for food inflation at 21.3%, underlining persistent cost-of-living pressures despite being a major economy.
  • Liberia and Zambia round out the top 10 with double-digit food inflation.
  • Djibouti, Somalia, and Senegal are experiencing food price deflation, setting them apart from most African countries.
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  • Apapa Port accounted for 71.6% of Nigeria’s total trade value in Q1 2025 and 82.12% of total exports
  • Apapa Port handled ₦25.79 trillion worth of goods in Q1 2025, representing 71.6% of total trade. It remains the country’s primary trade hub, far surpassing all other ports combined.
  •  Apapa alone facilitated ₦17.74 trillion or 86.1% of Nigeria’s total exports, showing a high dependency on a single location for outbound goods.
  • Tin Can Island is the only meaningful secondary hub With ₦3.44 trillion (9.5%) in total trade, ranking a distant second. It’s the only other port contributing more than ₦1 trillion each to imports and exports.
  • Lekki has limited export impact, despite handling ₦1.70 trillion in imports. Lekki contributed only ₦0.30 trillion (1.5%) in exports, indicating underutilization for outbound trade.
  • Murtala Muhammed International Airport processed just ₦647.91 billion (1.8%) of total trade, reinforcing that Nigeria’s international trade remains heavily maritime-focused.
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  • From just $190 million in 2006, Lagos State's year-end external debt rose significantly to over $1.1 billion by 2024, a more than 500% increase over 19 years.
  • The highest year-end debt was recorded in 2017 at $1.47 billion, with a gradual decline afterwards, except for a brief rise again in 2022–2023.
  • By 2024, Lagos State's external debt dipped slightly to $1.17 billion, suggesting some debt service or currency gain effects.
  • If Lagos State paid off or borrowed funds in a given year, only the remaining unpaid amount by year-end is shown in the data.
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  • The Super Falcons have won 10 out of 13 WAFCON tournaments, a 77% win rate.
  • They have never failed to reach the semi final stage, finishing in second place once and fourth place twice.
  • The Super Eagles, by contrast, have won only 3 out of 34 AFCON tournaments.
  • The men's team has placed second 5 times and third 8 times, but failed to earn a medal in 18 editions.
  • WAFCON results show more consistency and dominance by Nigeria’s women’s team than the men’s team.
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  • Liberia leads with an ENPP of 6.44, showing the strongest balance of party influence in Africa.
  • Morocco (5.68) and Tanzania (5.64) follow closely, reflecting vibrant multiparty political systems.
  • East Africa is well represented, with both Tanzania and Kenya among the top five.
  • Malawi’s ENPP of 5.19 highlights its robust political competition despite its smaller size.
  • Countries such as Gambia, Benin, and Comoros maintain a healthy level of party competitiveness, underscoring diversity beyond larger nations.
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  • Teraco in South Africa is Africa’s largest data centre with 200 MW capacity.
  • Nigeria follows with a combined 110 MW from Rack Centre and MainOne.
  • Kenya leads East Africa with a 50 MW facility by Liquid Intelligent Technologies.
  • Morocco’s 40 MW Maroc Datacenter tops North Africa.
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  • Ethiopia leads Africa’s hydropower projects with the massive 6,450 MW Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
  • Three of Africa’s top ten hydroelectric plants are located in Ethiopia, signalling major investment in renewable energy.
  • The Kariba Dam, shared by Zambia and Zimbabwe, is the largest cross-border project on the list.
  • Nigeria’s Kainji Dam ranks tenth with 760 MW, highlighting a relatively lower capacity compared to continental leaders.
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  • Petitions peaked in 2022, with 474,301 filed, but only 442,043 approved, marking the widest gap in the five-year period.
  • 2021 was unique, as approvals (407,071) actually exceeded the number of petitions filed (398,269), reflecting carryovers or adjustments from prior years.
  • 2023 saw the lowest filings and approvals, at just under 387,000 each, signalling reduced demand or stricter caps.
  • By 2024, filings rebounded to over 427,000, but approvals lagged at 399,402, continuing the trend of more petitions being filed than granted.
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  • Trade contributed 18.28%, making it the largest sector in Q2 2025's GDP.
  • Crop production followed with 17.8%, underscoring agriculture’s central role.
  • Oil and gas added just 4.05%, highlighting its shrinking share compared to non-oil sectors.
  • Real estate and telecoms reinforced the growing strength of services in the Nigerian economy.
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  • Production dipped sharply in 2022, with the steepest quarterly decline of –16.08% in Q3, before recovering at year-end.
  • 2023 marked a rebound year, highlighted by strong quarterly growth of 18.85% in Q3, lifting production back above 1.5 mbpd.
  • 2024 showed relative stability, with modest fluctuations; production only briefly fell below 1.5 mbpd before gradually recovering.
  • By Q2 2025, output hit 1.68 mbpd, the highest in the series, supported by consistent growth in three straight quarters.
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  • Nigeria received a total of 880 H-1B visas in FY 2024, averaging about 73 per month.
  • December 2023 was the peak month, with 118 issuances, while June 2024 recorded the lowest at just 46.
  • Issuances fluctuated throughout the year, reflecting no clear upward trend but significant month-to-month volatility.
  • Despite peaks and dips, overall activity remained steady, with most months ranging between 60–90 approvals.
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  • Nigeria ranked first in Africa, with 880 H-1B visas issued in FY 2024, far ahead of Ghana (499) and Egypt (364).
  • East and Southern Africa featured prominently, with Kenya (320), South Africa (208), and Zimbabwe (132) among the top 10.
  • North African representation was modest, with Morocco (78) and Egypt (364) being the only countries in the region on the list.
  • Despite these numbers, Africa’s collective total is marginal globally, especially compared to India’s ~150,000 issuances and China’s large volumes.
  • President Donald Trump’s $100,000 fee for new U.S. H-1B skilled worker visas will have limited impact on Africa, which has historically received only a small fraction of these visas.
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  • Ghana secured 499 H-1B visa approvals in FY 2024, averaging about 42 per month.
  • April 2024 was the highest month with 80 visas, while September 2024 dropped sharply to just 16.
  • Visa issuances were relatively steady until early 2024, before a mid-year surge and late-year decline.
  • Ghana ranks second in Africa for H-1B visas, behind Nigeria, reflecting its growing pool of skilled professionals abroad.
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