Nigeria is now the world’s 6th most populous country, according to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
The UN agency, in a report released on Tuesday, said the global population has now reached an estimated 8 billion.
More than half of the projected population is concentrated in just eight countries – the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania, it said.
Some of the projections made in the UN’s World Population Prospects, 2022, include India surpassing China as the world’s most populous country in 2023; the world’s population growing to around 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050 and reaching a peak of around 10.4 billion people during the 2080s.
It is projected that the global population will remain at that level until 2100.
“Today, two-thirds of the global population lives in a country or area where lifetime fertility is below 2.1 births per woman, roughly the level required for zero growth in the long run for a population with low mortality,” the report continued. “The populations of 61 countries or areas are projected to decrease by 1% or more between 2022 and 2050, owing to sustained low levels of fertility and, in some cases, elevated rates of emigration,” it stated.
“Countries of sub-Saharan Africa are expected to contribute more than half of the increase anticipated through 2050,” the report added.
Commenting on the report, UN secretary-general, António Guterres, said: “This year’s World Population Day falls during a milestone year when we anticipate the birth of the earth’s eight billionth inhabitant. This is an occasion to celebrate our diversity, recognise our common humanity, and marvel at advancements in health that have extended lifespans and dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality rates.”