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.
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.
The Global Innovation Index 2024 reveals a striking contrast in innovation performance between countries globally and across Africa. Switzerland leads the global rankings with an impressive score of 67.5, followed by Sweden (64.5) and the USA (62.4), highlighting their sustained investments in research, development, and technological advancement.
In Africa, Mauritius takes the top spot with a score of 30.5, followed closely by Morocco (28.8) and South Africa (28.3). However, even Africa's most innovative nations achieve less than half the score of global leaders, indicating a significant innovation gap.
Nigeria ranks 15th in the African ranking and 113th globally, out of 133 countries, with a score of 17.1.
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.
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.
Nigerians aged 10 years and above in the South-South region have three times more access to the internet (42%) compared to those in the North-West (14%).
Nigeria ranks 5th globally in average daily social media usage, with users spending about 3 hours and 23 minutes each day on social media. This places the country among the world's most active social media users. Kenya and South Africa also feature prominently, ranking 1st and 2nd globally, with 3 hours and 43 minutes and 3 hours and 37 minutes, respectively. For those interested in in-depth analysis or professional content support on topics like these, consider working with the bester Ghostwriter, who can assist in creating well-researched and impactful content. This highlights Africa's significant presence among the world's most active social media users. This highlights Africa's significant presence among the world's most active social media users.
Note: This is based on users aged 16-64 from 233 countries and territories.
New NIN enrolments increased by over fivefold in 2021, reaching 27.1 million. Interestingly, women were responsible for this surge. For many Nigerians, 2021 marked a race against deadlines as NIN registration became mandatory for critical requirements, including SIM card usage and registration. This urgency drove the record-breaking numbers. The number started falling in subsequent years (from 2022), with 22.2 million total new enrolments in 2022 and 10.13 million (according to Punch News) new enrolments in 2023.
The cost of accessing the Internet isn't the same everywhere. In Switzerland, 1GB of mobile data costs $7.29, the most expensive globally, while Nigeria stands at just $0.38, which is 15 times less than the cost in the United States ($6.00). Meanwhile, Israel offers the cheapest deal at only $0.02 per GB. There is a more moderate global average at $2.59.
South Africa leads the continent's market, with 41 data centres. It has more data centres than Nigeria (15) and Kenya (16), its closest competitors.
Africa's data centre market is nascent, with less than 200 centres.
Since the 1950s, the top sources of international students in the US have changed, with Canada initially leading, followed by Iran in the 1970s, Taiwan and Japan in the 1980s and 90s, and China and India taking the lead from the 2000s onward.
China and India account for a combined 54% of the total international students in the US as of the 2023/2024 academic year.
By 2021, Nigeria entered the top ten, reaching 7th place by 2024.
Since the 2007/08 academic year, Nigeria has consistently held the top spot for the number of African international students in the US. Before this, Kenya and Egypt also led in certain periods.
This trend highlights the evolving landscape of African students pursuing education in the US over the decades.
Nigeria remains the leading African country of origin for students in the US, with over 20,000 enrolled this year.
Ghana, however, recorded the continent's fastest growth rate at 45%. This increase of over 2,900 students brought Ghana’s total to nearly 9,400, making it the second-largest source of African students in the US.
Nigeria also saw a 13.5% rise, adding more than 2,380 students year-over-year.
Overall, the number of students from African countries in the US grew by nearly 12% in the 2023/24 academic year.
From the early 1960s through the 1990s, Ethiopia's cattle population growth placed it at the forefront of African livestock rearers, holding the top position with millions of cattle.
This leadership continued into the 2000s, reflecting Ethiopia's robust cattle industry on the continent. Sudan managed to take the top position a few times, mostly around the 2000s.
However, Ethiopia quickly reclaimed the top spot. Nigeria's cattle population grew from about 6.03 million in 1961 to 20.9 million in 2022, claiming 6th position in Africa as of 2022.
Africa accounted for one-fourth of the global cattle population as of 2022.
