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  • telecoms-subscribers-663796a2bc04d

    In May 2023, 4G made up 25% of Nigeria's telecoms market; by March 2024, its share had increased to 32.7%. 2G's share of the market went from 58% to 57%, with 3G dropping from 16.5% to 9%. 5G has maintained steady growth from 0.12% to 1.24%.

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    68% of Nigeria's capital imports in Q1 went to three sectors - banking, production, and IT services

    Most of Nigeria's capital imports in the first quarter of 2023 were directed toward three sectors. The banking sector got the most investments with $304 million, accounting for 27%, and the production and IT services sectors followed, with 22% and 19%, respectively.

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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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    Inflation rate in Nigeria increased to 31.7% in February 2024. Nigeria has the 13th highest inflation rate out of 186 countries and territories as of February 2024.

    The data showcases Argentina leading with 276%, followed by Lebanon and Syria. Seven of the top fifteen are African.

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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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    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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    • The GDP contribution from the telecom sector increased from 14.13% in Q1 2023 to 16.36% in Q2 2024.
    • The highest contribution (16.36%) was seen in Q2 2024.
    • The telecom sector contributes significantly to GDP, maintaining values above 10% quarterly from Q1 2020 to Q3 2024.
    • The second quarter consistently contributed more to Nigeria’s GDP throughout the observed timeframe.
    • The first and second quarters of 2024 showed an improvement in the sector's contribution to GDP compared to the previous years.
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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
 

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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  • In 2013, Africa’s total reserves stood at $560 billion, the highest recorded in the past decade.
  • A steady decline followed, with reserves dropping to $402 billion by 2016.
  • A moderate recovery began in 2017 at $426 billion, stabilising around $400 billion in recent years.
  • As of 2022, Africa’s total reserves were estimated at $397 billion.
  • Despite fluctuations, Africa’s reserves have hovered around $400 billion since 2019.
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  • Africa ranks 5th globally in total reserves. The continent’s $375B in reserves lags behind most regions, surpassing only Oceania.
  • Asia leads with $8.24T, over half of global reserves, maintaining the strongest reserve and continent buffer driven by China, Japan, and India.
  • Europe holds nearly five times Africa’s reserves, with $3.68T.
  • South America’s $590B reserves is 57% more than Africa’s.
  • Oceania remains the lowest with $84.8B.
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  • The mobility score improved dramatically from 42 in 2015 to 56 in 2023, highlighting a significant enhancement in travel freedom for Nigerian passport holders.
  • A sharp decline occurred in 2020, dropping to 44, likely reflecting global travel disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Post-pandemic recovery is evident in the score rebounding to 48 in 2021 and surging to 54 by 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
  • The overall trend shows a steady upward trajectory from 2017 onward, suggesting successful diplomatic and policy initiatives aimed at expanding visa-free travel.
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International Women's Day 2025
  • There are nearly 600 million women aged 15-24 worldwide, with 90% living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), making them a significant share of the global population.
  • 37 countries grant women less than half of the legal rights of men, affecting 500 million women, while globally, women enjoy less than two-thirds of the legal rights available to men.
  • Closing the gender gap in employment and entrepreneurship could boost global GDP by over 20%, and eliminating the gap within a decade could double the global growth rate.
  • Women hold just 1 in 5 corporate board positions, partly because less than 20% of countries require gender-sensitive public procurement, excluding them from a $10 trillion-a-year opportunity.
  • Women earn only 77 cents for every $1 paid to men, while 92 countries lack equal pay laws. Additionally, 20 countries prohibit women from night work and 45 ban women from “dangerous” jobs.
  • By 2030, an estimated 8% of the world’s female population (342.4 million women and girls) will still live on less than $2.15 a day, with 220.9 million in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Climate change could push 158.3 million more women and girls into poverty by 2050, which is 16 million more than men and boys under a worst-case scenario.
  • By 2020, food insecurity was projected to impact 236 million more women and girls, compared to 131 million more men and boys.
  • By 2050, women will still spend 2.5 times more hours per day on unpaid care work than men. If valued monetarily, women’s unpaid labor could exceed 40% of GDP in some countries.
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Suspected diphtheria cases reported in Nigeria (2022 - 2025)
  • With 24,062 cases, Kano accounts for the highest number of suspected diphtheria cases, making up a significant portion of the total outbreak in Nigeria.
  • Yobe recorded 5,330 cases, while Katsina had 3,939 cases, reinforcing the concentration of diphtheria in northern states.
  • Bauchi and Borno report similar case counts, with 3,066 and 3,035 cases, respectively.
  • Kaduna (777 cases) and Jigawa (364 cases) report fewer cases but remain part of the seven states contributing to 96.6% of the outbreak.
  • Other states combined report 1,405 cases, showing that diphtheria is largely a regional issue.
  • Northern states dominate the case count, signaling potential regional healthcare and vaccination disparities.
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Nigerian financial institutions’ contribution to GDP (2016–Q1 2024)
 
  • At 6.40%, financial institutions now contribute more than ever to Nigeria’s GDP.
  • From 3.60% in 2022 to 6.40% in Q1 2024, the sector’s share has nearly doubled in record time.
  • Between 2016 and 2019, the financial sector's contribution remained mostly flat at 2.60%–2.70%, showing little progress.
  • The financial sector started expanding post-2019, aligning with increased fintech adoption, digital banking growth, and financial inclusion policies.
  • The increasing role of financial institutions suggests more businesses and individuals are engaging with formal banking systems.
  • Despite economic uncertainties, Nigeria’s financial sector has successfully adapted and expanded, proving its ability to drive growth.
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Somalia’s official exchange rate (Somali Shilling per US$), 2015 - 2024
  • Somalia’s currency has depreciated by 26.4% between 2015 and 2024.
  • The sharpest yearly depreciation was in 2019, at 4.64%.
  • From 2020 to 2021, the SOS saw its smallest year-on-year shift at 1.08%.
  • Despite fluctuations, every year from 2015 to 2024 recorded a net increase in SOS per US$.
  • 2017 recorded near-stable currency performance with just a 0.16% change from the previous year.
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Key Takeaways:
  • Africa's gold production grew steadily from 621.78 tonnes in 2010 to 1,003.98 tonnes in 2023.
  • The continent experienced an overall increase of 61.5% in gold output over the 14 years.
  • The continent saw consistent year-on-year growth, with only minor declines in 2020 and 2022.
  • 2023 marked the highest production level in more than a decade.
  • The average annual growth rate in gold mine production over the period was approximately 4%.
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Key Takeaways:
  • Global gold production rose from 2,830.80 tonnes in 2010 to 3,646.07 tonnes in 2023.
  • The most significant year-over-year growth occurred between 2012 and 2013, with an increase of over 178 tonnes.
  • A temporary decline in production was recorded in 2019 and 2020, reflecting pandemic-related disruptions.
  • Production recovered quickly post-pandemic, reaching a record 3,646.07 tonnes by 2023.
  • Over the last fourteen years, gold mine output grew at an average annual rate of approximately 2%.
  • Growth from 2021 to 2023 was more moderate compared to earlier years.
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Strongest African currencies by annual average official exchange rate (LCU per US$) in 2024
  • Tunisia held the top spot with the strongest African currency, trading at 3.11 TND per USD in 2024.
  • Libya followed as the second-strongest, with an exchange rate of 4.83 LYD per USD.
  • Morocco maintained a strong regional position, with its dirham trading at 9.94 MAD per USD.
  • Botswana’s pula was relatively stable, exchanging at 13.56 per USD, highlighting Southern Africa’s economic steadiness.
  • Ghana and Seychelles had closely matched exchange rates, trading at 14.48 and 14.53 to the dollar, respectively.
  • South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini all shared almost identical exchange rates of around 18.32–18.33 per USD, showing tight regional monetary coordination.
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Africa's regional economic performance (2024), regional averages
  • Eastern Africa is the continent's fastest-growing region in 2024 with a GDP growth rate of 5.39%, but it also faces the highest inflation at 17.76%.
  • Southern Africa has the lowest inflation (3.48%) but also the highest unemployment by far, at 28.64%.
  • Western Africa combines growth (3.57%) with low unemployment (4.53%), positioning it as a relatively stable economic zone.
  • Central Africa and Northern Africa both lag in GDP growth, at 1.40% and 2.90% respectively, with Central Africa also experiencing moderate inflation and interest rates.
  • Interest rates are highest in Western (10.84%) and Eastern Africa (10.12%), reflecting tighter monetary policies likely aimed at controlling inflation.
  • Northern Africa’s 11.15% unemployment rate suggests underlying labour market issues despite moderate inflation and interest rates.
  • Southern Africa's low interest rate (6.29%) hasn't translated into job creation, indicating that monetary easing alone isn't resolving unemployment challenges.
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Share of internet users by type of app usage (worldwide) as of 2024 Q3
  • Chat and Messaging apps lead globally, engaging 94.5% of internet users as of Q3 2024.
  • Social Networks follow closely behind at 94.4%, nearly matching messaging apps in global user engagement.
  • Search Engines and Web Portals still see high use, engaging 82.3% of users.
  • Email services remain highly relevant, used by 75% of internet users globally.
  • Shopping, Auctions, and Classifieds apps are also prominent, used by 74.9% of users.
  • Location-based services like maps and ride-sharing apps engage 55.3%, indicating a strong but more practical use case.
  • Games remain a niche category, with only 32.6% of users engaging with gaming apps compared to much higher engagement with communication or shopping platforms.
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