According to UNESCO, low-budget movies from Nigeria and other African countries account for most of the films produced annually in Africa. Here is a breakdown of the estimated number of films produced annually, private television channels, and cinema screens by African region.
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.
South Africa is rising on the global stage, showcasing its growing influence as it secures its spot as the only African country among the world's top 23 superpowers.
The United States leads with a strength index of 0.89, followed closely by China at 0.80. While traditional powers like Germany and Japan hold their ground, South Africa proudly stands among the top 23 superpowers with a strength index of 0.1. This is the only African country that made the top 23, coming 22nd on the list.
The ranking is based on analysis from Ray Dalio's Great Powers Index 2024. Dalio assessed each nation's strength based on a wide range of metrics, including education, innovation and technology, cost competitiveness, economic output, and military strength.
Note: The Eurozone, ranked third on the list, was removed as it cannot be considered a single country.
The 2024 Global Peace Index reveals a decline in peacefulness in 97 countries, the highest since the index began.
Nigeria is among the nations affected by regional conflicts and rising violence. With a peace index score of 2.91, Nigeria is facing increasing challenges.
A deteriorating peace score impacts foreign investment and economic stability. Global economic losses due to violence reached $19.1 trillion in 2023.
Seven Nigerian commercial banks have international authorisation. Per the new capital requirements, these banks must raise their shareholders' funds to ₦500 billion by April 2026, up from ₦50 billion, to retain their licences.
All seven banks have footprints in the UK, where FCMB and Fidelity Bank operate, underutilising their licence. Ghana and Sierra Leone are the only countries where all the big five have a presence.
While UBA is present in more countries than any other bank, Access is catching up quickly and poised to overtake it. In the past two years, it has expanded into over five countries, with plans to grow its presence to nearly 30 countries by 2027.
Road traffic crashes in Nigeria remain a significant concern, with an average casualty rate of approximately 50% throughout 2022. This means half of the people involved in crashes either sustained injuries or lost their lives. While the remaining half walked away unharmed, February and November had the highest casualty rates at 53%, though with just a slight increase from other months.
A closer look at the data reveals that injuries far outweigh fatalities across all months. This pattern shows the heavy burden on hospitals and emergency services, which often struggle to manage the influx of victims. December, a festive season marked by increased travel, saw a casualty rate of 52%, with deaths accounting for 6.4% and injuries rising to 45.7%. This reaffirms the need for extra caution during peak travel when road congestion and reckless driving are heightened.
With the top ten states receiving 40% of the ₦82b shared in EMTL, Lagos led with ₦7.68b, followed by Kano with ₦3.46b. Oyo, Rivers, and Kaduna rounded out the top five, each securing over ₦2b. These states are driving the lion’s share of the revenue. In stark contrast, the bottom ten states, including Bayelsa and Ebonyi, saw much smaller allocations, with each receiving less than ₦2b.
Data from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) highlights a worrying rise in traffic crashes in Nigeria between 2020 and 2022. Fatal crashes and crashes resulting in serious injuries have increased consistently, emphasising a growing public safety challenge on the nation’s roads.
In 2020, Nigeria recorded 11,935 crashes with 2,961 fatalities and 7,627 serious injuries. By 2022, the numbers climbed further to 13,656 total crashes, with 3,309 fatal incidents (a 12% rise) and 8,953 serious injuries (a 17% increase).
On December 1, 2024, fintech companies including OPay, PalmPay, and Moniepoint announced plans to begin implementing the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), a ₦50 charge applied to electronic transfers of ₦10,000 and above. The announcement sparked widespread reactions from Nigerians who expressed concerns about the rising cost of living.
Since January 2024, however, Nigerian states (excluding FCT) have shared ₦82b in EMTL revenue. The South West received the highest allocation of ₦19b, while the South East received the lowest, at ₦11b.
In 2022, approximately 36% of road accidents in Nigeria were caused by speeding violations, accounting for 6,578 cases. This reveals the need for drivers to prioritise safety over the rush to reach their destinations. Loss of control closely follows as another significant cause, contributing to 19.9% of accidents.
While speeding dominates, other seemingly smaller actions like wrongful overtaking (5.6%), dangerous driving (5.7%), and sign/light violations (8.0%) still add up to the dangers.
Temu has embarked on an extraordinary global expansion, cementing its place as a leading e-commerce platform across multiple markets. From its launch in the US in 2022, Temu has quickly become one of the most downloaded shopping apps in the country.
However, Temu's rapid rise has not been without its challenges. Regulators in the EU, US, and South Korea have closely scrutinised the company, examining potential links to labour issues, data protection concerns, and intellectual property violations. Despite these hurdles, Temu has continued to forge ahead, becoming Meta's top advertiser for the year and making a splash with its second Super Bowl campaign in 2024.
As Temu expands into new regions, the company must navigate an evolving regulatory landscape to maintain its momentum and solidify its position as a global e-commerce powerhouse.
Nigeria's export value increased by 16.8% quarter-on-quarter to ₦20.49 trillion in Q3 2024. Petroleum products (oils, liquefied natural gas, and other petroleum gases) made up 85.52% of its exports, valued at ₦17.53 trillion.
This figure highlights Nigeria's heavy reliance on the oil and gas sector for revenue, emphasising the need for diversification to reduce dependence on a single industry.
According to the latest State of Entrepreneurship Report by the FATE Foundation, the share of female-owned businesses in Nigeria in 2024 is 12% higher than in 2021. At 48%, the number of female-owned businesses is nearly equal to that of male-owned businesses.
The report highlights the disparity between male and female-owned businesses across state lines. Bauchi is the only state with over 80% female-owned businesses, while Borno, Kebbi, and Zamfara have over 80% male-owned businesses. Edo State has an equal share of both.
Birth asphyxia is a condition where a baby does not receive sufficient oxygen before, during, and after birth. It is a leading cause of early neonatal mortality and was selected as an indicator in the assessment of the management of maternal and neonatal complications in Nigeria.
The percentage of health facilities surveyed that provide appropriate treatment for birth asphyxia varies from as low as 19.4% in the North West to as high as 50.3% in the South-South. With no zone exceeding 50%, significant gaps remain in reducing infant mortality in Nigeria.
