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  • In 2023, South Africa led Africa's exports with a value of $110.7 billion, nearly double Nigeria's $60.7 billion. Key exports include gems, vehicles, and mineral fuels.

    The top 15 African exporters contribute 84% to the continent's trade, with South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Morocco, and Egypt leading with a combined 52%.

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    Voice is still king for Airtel Africa, accounting for the largest share of its revenue between 2019 and 2023. However, the revenue from data and Airtel Money, its mobile money services have more than doubled within this period. Revenue from voice and others didn't record a sharp increase unlike data and Airtel Money.

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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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  • Bitcoin has seen remarkable growth since 2010. Starting from a high of just $0.5 in 2010, it reached an all-time high of $73.7k in March 2024.

    It recorded new peaks in 2011, 2013, 2017, 2020, 2021, and recently in 2024.

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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.

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Other Insights
  • Lesotho's external debt stock grew from $912.1 million in 2014 to $1.74 billion in 2020.
  • The most significant increase in debt occurred between 2015 and 2016, when the debt surged from $952.6 million to $1.36 billion.
  • After 2020, external debt levels started to stabilise, with only a slight decline from $1.83 billion in 2021 to $1.78 billion in 2023.
  • Despite the recent stabilisation, Lesotho’s external debt remains relatively high, indicating a need for debt sustainability and fiscal management.
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Countries with the lowest GDP per capita (PPP, current international dollars), Jan. 2025
 
  • All ten of the world’s lowest GDP per capita countries are in Africa, signalling deep economic inequality at the global level.
  • South Sudan has the lowest GDP per capita at just $763, reflecting its ongoing economic struggles and instability.
  • Burundi and the Central African Republic follow, both under $1,300.
  • Even the highest GDP per capita country in this bottom ten, Niger, at $1,978, remains below $2,000.
  • Low GDP per capita directly impacts standard of living, limiting access to quality healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
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Nigeria's share of startup funding raised in West Africa, excluding exits (2019-2024)
  • A staggering 92.16% of all startup funding in West Africa flowed into Nigeria in 2019, showing the country’s lead in attracting investors.
  • Nigerian startups still led, but their share dropped to 68.03% in 2023 and 69.75% in 2024, indicating that other West African countries are starting to attract more investment.
  • Despite some shifts, no other West African country has come close to breaking Nigeria’s dominance. The remaining 20-30% of funding is spread across multiple nations, making it difficult for any single country to challenge Nigeria's position.
  • While Nigeria’s startup dominance is impressive, a more balanced regional investment landscape could lead to greater innovation and economic growth across multiple countries.
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Total funding raised in West Africa, excluding exits (2019 - 2024)
  • Nigeria is the clear leader, securing over 80% of total startup funding in West Africa. Its ecosystem benefits from a strong fintech sector, a large market, and increased investor trust.
  • Ghana and Senegal are challengers, attracting $460M and $410M, respectively. These countries are proving they can compete but still have a long way to go to match Nigeria.
  • Nigeria’s startups raised over ten times more than Ghana, the second-highest country on the list. This highlights an imbalance in investor focus.
  • Benin ($133M) and Côte d'Ivoire ($107M) are rising players but remain in the shadows of the region’s top three. Their growing startup ecosystems could gain more traction with the right policies and investments.
  • Mali, Togo, and Sierra Leone struggle to attract major funding, receiving less than $30M each. This signals a need for stronger ecosystems and investor confidence in these markets.
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Share of global population - Top 10 countries as of 2025​
  • India is now the world’s most populous country, surpassing China with 17.78% of the global population.
  • China closely follows with 17.30%, showing that even though its population growth is slowing, it remains one of the most dominant globally.
  • The United States (4.23%) remains the most populous Western country, reinforcing its continued economic and political significance.
  • Nigeria leads Africa with 2.87% of the global population, showing that Africa's rising demographic weight will be a major factor in future economic and workforce trends.
  • Ethiopia (1.63%) is another African country on the rise, showing how Africa’s demographic shift is accelerating beyond just Nigeria.
  • Russia (1.76%) is the only European country on the list, underscoring Europe’s declining share in global population dynamics compared to the rapid growth of Asian and African nations.
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  • In 2023, over 324 million chickens were slaughtered in Nigeria, making them the dominant source of meat.
  • Goats and sheep followed at 28.23 million and 19.45 million, respectively, but their slaughter numbers were far lower than poultry.
  • Pigs accounted for 8.11 million slaughters, while cows were the least slaughtered at 3.32 million, likely due to their higher economic value.
  • The disparity in slaughter numbers highlights Nigeria's preference for poultry over red meat, aligning with global trends in cost-effective protein consumption.
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  • Moniepoint began as TeamApt in 2015, building solutions for banks before pivoting to agent banking in 2019.
  • In 2022, Moniepoint secured a banking license, launched business banking, and processed 5.2 billion transactions.
  • The company rebranded to Moniepoint in 2023, relocated to the UK, and launched personal banking.
  • By 2024, Moniepoint achieved unicorn status, with over $200 million in total funding.
  • In 2025, Moniepoint plans to expand into contactless payments and remittances through Monieworld.
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  • Nigeria leads Africa in total arable land with 36,872,000 hectares, more than twice that of Niger, the second-ranking country.
  • Niger ranks second with 17,700,000 hectares.
  • The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ranks third with 13,680,000 hectares, revealing the role of Central Africa in agricultural land availability.
  • Other notable countries include Chad (5.3M hectares), Zambia (3.8M hectares), and Guinea (3.1M hectares).
  • The countries at the bottom of the top ten list, such as Congo (550,000 hectares), Liberia (500,000 hectares), and Mauritania (450,000 hectares), have relatively limited arable land compared to leading nations.
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  • The number of artists earning over $5,000 in royalties from Spotify has risen from 36,400 in 2017 to 110,500 in 2024, a 205% increase.
  • The growth trend accelerated significantly after 2020, crossing 80,000 artists by 2021.
  • Between 2017 and 2019, the growth rate was slower, rising from 36,400 to 53,700 artists in two years.
  • The most significant jumps happened between 2019-2021, as numbers surged from 53,700 to 81,700 artists.
  • The consistent rise suggests increased monetisation opportunities for independent and mainstream artists on Spotify.
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  • Avatar remains the highest-grossing movie globally, earning $2.92 billion.
  • Titanic, released in 1997, is still among the top-grossing films with $2.22 billion, showing the lasting appeal of classics.
  • Recent films like Avatar: The Way of Water ($2.32 billion) and Spider-Man: No Way Home ($1.92 billion) prove that sequels and superhero films continue to drive massive revenues.
  • Disney properties dominate the list, with multiple Marvel, Star Wars, and animated films ranking among the top earners.
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  • Dangote first announced the refinery in 2013 with a $9 billion plan, securing $3.3 billion in funding.
  • The estimated cost grew to $15 billion in 2017, as planned refining capacity increased to 650,000 barrels per day.
  • By 2023, the refinery was finally commissioned, after its total cost surged past $20 billion.
  • In December 2023, the first crude supply of 1 million barrels arrived, marking the start of operations.
  • By 2024, the refinery began producing diesel and jet fuel, with 6 million barrels received for processing.
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Key takeaways:

  • In 2024, BUA Foods hit new heights, with gross profit for Q4 surpassing ₦189 billion.
  • A remarkable surge occurred in 2024, with quarterly gross profits regularly exceeding ₦100 billion.
  • The fourth quarter of 2024 marked a significant peak, illustrating a 200% increase from Q4 2023.
  • BUA Foods' gross profit dramatically climbed from approximately ₦25 billion in 2021 to nearly ₦190 billion in Q4 2024.
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  • The world’s total proven recoverable crude oil reserves stand at 1.57 trillion barrels in 2024.
  • Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and Iran collectively hold over 50% of these reserves, with 303.2B, 267.2B, and 208.6B barrels respectively.
  • Nigeria ranks 10th globally with 37.3 billion barrels, placing it ahead of other major producers like Kazakhstan, China, and Brazil.
  • The majority of the largest reserves are concentrated in Middle Eastern and South American countries, with only a few top holders located in North America, Africa, and Asia.
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  • India dominates global banana output with 36.6 million tonnes, accounting for over a third of total production among the top 10 countries.
  • China (11.7M) and Indonesia (9.34M) round out the top three, contributing significantly to Asia’s dominance in banana farming.
  • Nigeria ranks 4th globally, producing 7.3 million tonnes, slightly ahead of Ecuador and Brazil.
  • Africa is well represented, with Nigeria, Angola, and Tanzania collectively contributing 15.86 million tonnes, or about 16% of the top 10 output.
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  • Ethiopia recorded a total of $46.43 billion in foreign direct investment between 1990 and 2024.
  • Its annual FDI inflows surged from just $10 million in 1990 to $3.98 billion in 2024, reflecting massive investor interest over time.
  • The country experienced three major FDI booms in 1997–2004, 2011–2014, and 2015–2016, driven by policy reforms and industrial expansion.
  • After a pandemic-era dip in 2020, Ethiopia rebounded strongly in 2021 with $4.26 billion in inflows, maintaining high investment momentum through 2024
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  • Nigeria imported $281 million worth of generator sets in 2024.
  • China remained the dominant supplier, accounting for $195 million, or nearly 70% of total imports.
  • Other top suppliers included India ($20.6M), Germany ($15.4M), and South Korea ($16.5M).
  • Compared to 2023, imports from China dipped slightly (from $202M to $195M), and other countries like Germany and India also saw declines.
  • The data captures a wide range of generator types — petrol, diesel, wind-powered, and rotary converters — under HS Code 8502.
  • Mirror data reflects only officially reported trade and excludes informal or undocumented imports.
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  • Lebanon and Nigeria top the global list, recording millionaire population declines of -60% and -53% respectively over the past decade.
  • Three African countries, Nigeria (-53%), Angola (-36%), and South Africa (-12%), appear in the top 10, signalling a regional pattern of wealth erosion.
  • Pakistan (-40%), Egypt (-26%), and Argentina (-22%) rank among the top 10, showing that sharp millionaire losses extend beyond Africa into Asia and Latin America.
  • The average millionaire decline across the top 10 countries is over 33%, highlighting a widespread erosion of wealth in politically and economically vulnerable regions.
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  • Cars were involved in the highest number of road accidents, recording 665 cases over the four-year period.
  • Luxury buses and bicycles recorded the highest quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) growth in accident involvement.
  • Tankers, cars, and motorcycles saw the sharpest QoQ declines, with accident rates falling by 47.2%, 30.6%, and 24.7% respectively.
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