Nigeria population to hit 350 million by 2050

The Director General, Institute for National Transformation (INT), Abuja, Prof. Vincent Anigbogu, has predicted that Nigeria’s population by 2050 will be 350 million.

According to him, no fewer than 189 million people would be added to the current population of the country in the next 32 years.

The INT, who delivered a paper titled “Ensuring Nigeria’s Present and Future Prosperity: The  Need for Purposeful Human  Capital  Development,” at this year’s edition of annual International Leadership Symposium of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, said for Nigeria to survive the population explosion its  economic growth must outpace population growth.

The event was held at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, to mark the 44th birthday of Oba Ogunwusi.

He maintained that the major factor for Nigeria to survive and create wealth which will take care of the needs of her people is to develop its human capacity.

Anigbogu said: “Knowledge and skills have become the global currency of 21st economies, but there is no central bank that prints this currency. Every (nation) has to decide on their own how much they will print. Sure, it’s great to have oil, gas, diamonds and all the mineral deposits in the world; they can buy jobs, but they ‘ll weaken your society in the long run unless they ‘re used to build schools and a culture of lifelong learning.”

He called on government at all tiers to ensure that Nigeria’s present and future prosperity is secured by using natural resources of the country as catalysts for purposeful human capital development.

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Speaking at the event, the governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, commended Oba Ogunwusi his leadership qualities.

The governor said: “Though Ooni didn’t tell me when we met yesterday that he would be celebrating his birthday today. You have dignified the throne of Oduduwa with your actions since ascending the throne. Yoruba race is proud of you. You have carried this office with dignity. All of us are proud of you.”