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  • In Q2 2023, Nigeria collected 10% more VAT than in the first quarter, 30% more than in Q2 2022, 53% more than in Q2 2021, and 555% more than 40 quarters ago in Q2 2013. Do you see VAT collections reaching one trillion naira soon?

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    In June 2023, Nigeria exported goods worth ₦3.026 trillion and imported goods worth ₦1.285 trillion, resulting in a trade surplus of ₦1.74 trillion. This came after a trade deficit of ₦653 billion in May 2023. Here is Nigeria's trade balance since July 2022.
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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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  • Between 2013 and 2022, Nigeria exported crude oil worth ₦123 trillion, with yearly figures ranging from ₦6.8 trillion to ₦21.1 trillion, and the highest (₦21.1 trillion) recorded in 2022. This chart shows the annual values.

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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
Number of listed companies in Nigeria by sector (2025)
  • Financial Services account for 29.93% of all listed companies, far ahead of any other sector.
  • Services and Consumer Goods sectors each have 20 listed companies, showing strong competition for second place.
  • Industrial Goods (13 companies) and Construction/Real Estate (10 companies) round out the mid-tier listings.
  • The ICT sector has only 8 listed companies, despite being central to digital transformation in Nigeria.
  • Oil and Gas (8) and Healthcare (7) reflect moderate participation in the public markets.
  • Agriculture has just 5 listed firms, despite being one of Nigeria’s largest employers—suggesting a capital access gap.
  • The utilities sector is the least represented sector, with only 2 listed companies.
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Age of currently listed Nigerian PLCs (Date incorporated to May 2025)
  • Royal Exchange is Nigeria’s oldest listed PLC at 104 years, incorporated on February 28, 1921.
  • Unilever (101 years) and UAC Nigeria (94 years) follow closely behind, cementing their status as legacy multinationals.
  • Greif Nigeria (85 years) and May & Baker Nigeria (81 years) show enduring pharmaceutical and industrial presence.
  • Wema Bank is the oldest bank on the list at 80 years, showcasing longevity in financial services.
  • Consumer goods dominate the list, with companies like PZ Cussons, Nigerian Breweries, and Guinness all exceeding 75 years.
  • Four companies (Chellarams, PZ Cussons, Thomas Wyatt, and Nigerian Breweries) were all incorporated 77-78 years ago, pointing to a cluster of post-WWII business growth.
  • The youngest on the list—RT Briscoe—is still 68 years old, proving that listing longevity is no accident but a product of strategic resilience.
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Key Takeaways:

  • CBN’s total assets increased from ₦14 trillion in 2013 to ₦117.6 trillion in 2024.
  • Total liabilities followed a similar upward trend, reaching ₦116.6 trillion in 2024.
  • Total assets and liabilities rose by more than 100% from 2022.
  • The gap between assets and liabilities has remained relatively narrow, indicating tight net equity margins and overall prudent financial management.
  • Total equity initially rose between 2022 and 2023, but later declined in 2024 despite a substantial increase in CBN's assets and liabilities.
  • The most significant asset jumps occurred between 2022 and 2024, reflecting a rapid expansion of the balance sheet.
  • CBN’s total equity over the years ranged from ₦500 billion to ₦2 trillion, peaking in 2023 at ₦2 trillion.
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Share of global active Twitter (X) users by continent (Jan. 2025)
  • Asia accounts for the largest share of X (formerly Twitter) users globally at 43.5%.
  • America follows closely with a 30.2% global share of active users.
  • Africa contributes just 4.8% of active users, highlighting underrepresentation.
  • Oceania has the smallest presence, accounting for only 1.1% of users.
  • Asia alone has more X users than Europe and Africa combined.
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Number-of-Africans-who-use-each-selected-social-media-platform-as-of-January-2025
  • Facebook leads Africa’s social media use with 291.1M users, accounting for 12.7% of its global base.
  • TikTok holds second place with 189.3M African users, representing 11.9% of TikTok's global audience.
  • Meta dominates among the top four platforms with Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram.
  • LinkedIn’s 82.99M users show a strong uptake in professional networking, amounting to 5.3% of the platform’s global users.
  • Twitter (X) is used by 27.85M Africans, representing 4.8% of its global base—smallest on the chart, but still impactful.
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Share of global active TikTok users by continent (Jan. 2025)
  • Asia accounts for 39.6% of global TikTok users, the largest regional share.
  • America follows with 31.7% of the global TikTok user base.
  • Africa represents 11.9% of active TikTok users globally, totaling 189.3 million.
  • Oceania has the smallest share with 10 million users or just 0.6% globally.
  • Asia and America combined make up over 71% of all TikTok users worldwide.
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  • Institutional loans lead slightly, with 552,009 applications, showing a strong need for tuition and direct school-related expenses.
  • Upkeep loans are not far behind, at 519,964 applications, highlighting the importance of financial support beyond school fees.
  • Combined, over 1 million applications reveal a large and growing demand for structured educational funding in Nigeria.
  • The close margin suggests dual pressure: students aren’t just struggling to pay fees, but also to survive the cost of schooling.
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Key Takeaways:

  • MTN remains the market leader, growing from an average of 26 million subscribers in 2013 to an average of 75 million by early 2025.
  • The average active data subscribers for MTN was over 75 million in early 2025.
  • Airtel saw consistent growth, rising from 8.2 million in 2013 to 48.7 million in 2025, on average.
  • Globacom’s average data subscriber base peaked in 2023 at 43.7 million but fell sharply by 2025 to 15.8 million.
  • 9mobile's average data subscriber base in 2025 dropped to just 1.8 million from its 2016 peak of 15.2 million.
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Key Takeaways:

  • Lockheed Martin leads with $60.8 billion in arms revenue.
  • The top ten companies' combined revenue from arms production was $307.3 billion.
  • The top five corporations are all from the United States.
  • BAE Systems, based in the United Kingdom, remains Europe's strongest defence contractor, ranking sixth.
  • Russia and the United Kingdom each have one company among the top ten.
  • China secures three slots in the top 10, with a total revenue of $57.5 billion.
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Key Takeaways:

  • In 2023, Nigeria's kola nut production reached a peak of 188,703.54 tonnes.
  • Following a decline in production from 1994 to 2006, production rose dramatically from 2007 onwards.
  • Between 1997 and 2001, production was lowest, at only 82,000 tonnes.
  • The 2010s saw steady growth, fuelled by increased agricultural investment and possibly rising domestic or export demand.
  • The average production from 1994 to 2006 was 86,698.12 tonnes.
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  • Student loan applications peaked sharply in August 2024 with 91K submissions, marking the highest monthly volume within the 13-month period.
  • After August’s spike, applications declined steeply, hitting a low of 18K in December 2024.
  • A resurgence began in January 2025, leading to a second wave of activity that reached 59K applications in April 2025, the second-highest month.
  • Monthly application volumes remained volatile, reflecting fluctuating demand and possible cycles tied to academic calendars or policy updates.
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Share of global active Facebook users by continent (Jan. 2025)
  • Asia holds nearly half (47.7%) of Facebook’s global users, with over 1.1 billion people actively using the platform.
  • America is second with 611.8M users, comprising 26.8% of the total user base.
  • Africa’s 291.1M users (12.7%) place it slightly ahead of Europe in Facebook engagement.
  • Europe contributes 11.8%, with 269M active users.
  • Oceania remains the smallest market, with just 23.6M users (1.0%).
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  • India produced 25.4 million metric tonnes of ginger since 1961 — more than any other country by far.
  • India’s 2021 harvest of 2.22 million tonnes is the highest single-year output ever recorded.
  • Nigeria is now the second-largest global producer, but its total output (10.1 million tonnes) is less than half of India’s.
  • Global ginger production is highly volatile, with year-on-year changes fluctuating by an average of nearly 10%.
  • Just five countries — India, China, Nigeria, Nepal, and Indonesia — account for the vast majority of global output.
  • Production has expanded over time, but remains concentrated in Asia and parts of Africa.
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  • Angola and Ethiopia account for the highest debt service-to-GDP ratios in Africa, both exceeding 67%.
  • East Africa dominates the high debt-servicing bracket, with five countries among the top ten most burdened.
  • Algeria has the lowest debt service-to-GDP ratio on the continent at just 0.10%.
  • There’s a wide gap between the top and bottom debt service burdens, reflecting divergent fiscal paths across Africa.
  • Low debt servicing doesn’t automatically mean economic strength—it may reflect limited borrowing capacity.
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  • Algeria’s debt service per GDP dropped from 0.77% in 2009 to a projected 0.09% in 2025.
  • The country’s debt service per GDP declined at a -11.9% CAGR from 2009–2025.
  • A high of 0.73% occurred in 2012 before the consistent decline resumed.
  • By 2015, the country's debt service fell to 0.27%, showing progress in reduction.
  • The lowest point is forecast for 2025, at 0.09% of GDP.
  • Algeria’s debt burden is among the lowest in Africa, contrasting with the rising trend in many other nations.
  • This low debt service level allows for greater fiscal flexibility in public spending and investment.
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  • Nigeria's debt service per GDP rose from 0.9% in 2009 to a projected 15.1% in 2025.
  • Overall CAGR from 2009 to 2025 is 17.8%.
  • President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure saw the fastest growth (29.1% CAGR).
  • Under President Goodluck Jonathan, growth was slower (6.5% CAGR).
  • President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s term so far shows a 27.6% CAGR.
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  • Debt service in Angola hit 68.3% of GDP in 2024.
  • Even with a projected fall to 67.7% in 2025, the debt burden remains high.
  • Between 2009 and 2025, the debt service ratio grew at a CAGR of 11.2%.
  • The ratio stayed below 15% from 2009 to 2014 before surging to 41.9% in 2016.
  • Angola has faced multiple spikes above 50% since 2019, showing recurring debt strain.
  • The sharp drop to 31.2% in 2022 was short-lived, followed by a steep increase.
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  • Africa’s population in H1 2025 stood at 1.51 billion.
  • Eastern Africa is the most populous region with 500.7M people (33.0%).
  • Western Africa follows with 456.3M (30.1%).
  • Together, Eastern and Western Africa account for over 63% of Africa’s total population.
  • Southern Africa is the least populous with 73.1M (4.8%).
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