Population: As of mid-2006, Nigeria’s population was estimated at 131.9 million, and the population growth rate was nearly 2.4 percent. When the last census was held in 1991, Nigeria’s population was only 88.5 million. The next census, which is planned for 2006, is bound to be controversial, given ethnic and religious rivalries. Nigeria’s overall population density in 2006 was about 139 people per square kilometer. Much of the population is concentrated along the coast and in the north around Kano. While Nigeria is slightly below average for the level of urbanization (about 45 percent), it nevertheless has one of the world’s highest urbanization rates: an estimated 5.3 percent per year. The estimated net migration rate in 2006 was 0.27 migrants per 1,000 people.

Demography: In 2006 Nigeria’s age distribution was estimated as follows: 0–14 years, 42.3 percent; 15–64 years, 54.6 percent; and 65 years and older, 3.1 percent. The birth rate was 40.4 births, and the death rate was 6.9 deaths per 1,000 people. The infant mortality rate was 97.1 deaths per 1,000 live births. Life expectancy was about 47.2 years on average or 46.5 years for males and 47.7 years for females. The fertility rate was nearly 5.5 children per woman. The sex ratio at birth was 1.03 males per female.

Ethnic Groups: Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups. The most significant groups are Hausa and Fulani (29 percent), Yoruba (21 percent), Igbo (also seen as Ibo, 18 percent), and Ijaw (10 percent). Hausa and Fulani have traditionally dominated in the north, Yoruba in the southwest, Igbo in the east, and Ijaw in the Niger Delta. Rivalries among ethnic groups are a source of instability.

Languages: The official language is English. Other widely used languages are Edo, Efik, Fulani, Adamawa Fulfulde, Hausa, Idoma, Igbo (Ibo), Central Kanuri, Yoniba, and Yoruba.

Religion: Nigeria’s population is split primarily between Islam (50 percent) and Christianity (40 percent). Muslims are the majority in the north and Christians the majority in the south. The remaining 10 percent of the population adheres to indigenous beliefs such as animism. In early 2006, following news of the publication of derogatory caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper, anti-Christian riots broke out in Nigeria, and anti-Muslim reprisals followed. Churches and mosques were destroyed, numerous people were injured, and more than 100 were killed during the violence.

Education and Literacy: Nigeria’s literacy rate is 68 percent on average, with a higher rate for men (75.7 percent) than women (60.6 percent), according to a 2003 estimate. Nigeria provides free, government-supported education, but attendance is not compulsory at any level, and certain groups, such as nomads and the handicapped, are underserved. The education system consists of six years of primary school, three years of junior secondary school, three years of senior secondary school, and four years of university education leading to a bachelor’s degree. The rate of secondary school attendance is 32 percent for males and 27 percent for females. In 2004 the Nigerian National Planning Commission described the country’s education system as “dysfunctional.” Reasons for this characterization included decaying institutions and ill-prepared graduates.

Health: The poor condition of health and health care in Nigeria is one of the factors responsible for an average life expectancy of only 47 years. Poor overall living conditions are another factor. In 2000 only 57 percent of the population had access to safe drinking water, and a slightly lower percentage had access to adequate sanitation. Many Nigerians devote one to three hours of their day to the chore of collecting water for domestic use. Although improvements have been noted in infant mortality and immunization rates, the under-five mortality rate has risen from an average of 147 per 1,000 in 1990 to 200 per 1,000 males and 197 per 1,000 females in 2003.

In addition, the incidence of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) has been rising. As of the end of 2003, about 3.6 million Nigerian adults were infected with HIV/AIDS, representing a prevalence rate of 5.4 percent. During 2003, about 310,000 Nigerians died from HIV/AIDS. Polio, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria also pose challenges but are less widespread. In 2002 Nigeria had 367,836 estimated cases of tuberculosis, the fourth highest burden in the world and the highest in Africa. In 2003 polio immunization efforts suffered a setback when the Muslim state of Kano halted vaccinations out of unsubstantiated fears of a Western conspiracy to sterilize the Muslim world and spread HIV/AIDS. Perhaps as a result, in 2004 some 792 Nigerian children were paralyzed by polio, up from 355 cases in 2003. However, as of May 6, 2005, the World Health Organization had evidence of progress in reducing the incidence of polio infections and paralysis through vaccinations. According to the latest available information, the malaria incidence rate is 30 cases per 100,000.

Compounding long-standing health-related problems, in February 2006 the Nigerian government confirmed that the H5N1 avian influenza, commonly known as the “bird flu,” had spread from Kaduna State to neighboring states. To date no human cases have been identified, however.