Cocoa beans are a vital commodity for many countries, driving their economies and supporting livelihoods. Over the years, cocoa production has seen significant fluctuations across different countries.
The world's cocoa-producing countries produced 104.2 million tonnes of cocoa beans between 2000 and 2022, enough to fill about 2.084 billion 50kg bags. Côte d'Ivoire maintains its dominance, accounting for 35.3% of global production in the 23 years under review, with Ghana (16.5%), Indonesia (15.4%), and Nigeria (7.7%) completing the top four.
These are the top ten countries in the period.
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.
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.
Argentina's inflation rate dropped to 209% in September 2024 from 237% in August, slightly easing costs. Despite this, the South American country still has the highest inflation rate of the 184 countries and territories ranked.
Nigeria's inflation rate stands at 32.7%, ranking 9th globally and 4th in Africa after South Sudan, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.
Over the years, Nigeria has seen significant increases in electricity revenue.
Revenue surged from ₦129 billion in 2015 to ₦683 billion in H1 2024, while the number of customers has doubled from 6.5 million to 13 million.
This 428% increase in revenue highlights rising consumption and tariff hikes.
In 2017, MTN Uganda recorded a 58% increase in profit with only a 9% revenue increase. On average, the telco had an 18.2% yearly increase in profit between 2016 and 2023, while revenue growth was at 9.2% yearly.
The population of Nigerian-born immigrants in the US has more than doubled in nearly two decades, growing at an average rate of 4.8% per year.
By 2023, the number reached 476k, up from just under 200k in 2006 — a 141% growth.
Nigeria has been leading Africa in immigrant numbers in the US, ranking 22nd globally.
Rising immigrant numbers could strengthen remittance flows back to Nigeria.
In 2023, the US immigrant (foreign-born) population reached an estimated 47.83 million, a 3.6% increase from 46.18 million in 2022, with Mexico leading as the top country of birth for immigrants, contributing nearly 23% of the total.
India, China, and the Philippines follow, with significant communities from El Salvador, Cuba, and Guatemala.
In H1 2024, Nigeria's FDI accounted for just 2.5% of the country's $5.98 billion total capital imports, down from 14% in H2 2023 and 6.2% in H1 2023.
This highlights a shift towards other capital inflows like portfolio investments.
Portfolio investments rose significantly to $3.48 billion, rebounding from $397 million in H2 2023 and $756 million in H1 2023.
Nigeria's FDI has dropped significantly. From an average of $417m per quarter (2013-2015) to less than $100m (Q1 2022 - Q2 2024), it hit its lowest ($29.8m) in Q2 2024.
The trend shows declines since 2013, with key fluctuations and a shift in investment priorities.
As of 2022, the top five African countries indebted to the World Bank — Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania — accounted for 46% of the continent's outstanding debt with the institution.
Forty-eight African countries collectively owed around $125 billion, representing 31% of the total global debt of $408 billion. These are the top ten countries from 1970 to 2022.
MultiChoice Group experienced a 31% decline in revenue from Nigeria in 2024 compared to 2023. Nigeria represented 35% of the group's Rest of Africa (RoA) subscription revenue in 2024, down from 44% in 2023. South Africa's contribution to subscription revenue grew from 56.2% in 2023 to 58.4% in 2024. Meanwhile, Nigeria's share of the total revenue dropped from 18.7% in 2023 to 13.9%.
