Did you know that Nigeria, appropriately nicknamed the “Giant of Africa”, is also ranked the 8th worst country internationally, and with 67 percent of the population living in poverty?

Globally, Nigeria is often referred to as the Giant of Africa, for various reasons. Though there are many Nigerians who disapprove of that title as the country is yet to fully tap into utilizing its potentials, however, that cannot deny the country its true place in the comity of nations. Here we present before you some undisputed facts on why Nigeria remains the Giant of Africa.

FACT 1: The Most Populous
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is the most populous country in Africa, and the world's sixth-most populous country. Located in West Africa between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea to the south in the Atlantic Ocean.

FACT 2: The Most Ethnic Based
Nigeria is a multinational state inhabited by more than 250 ethnic groups speaking 500 distinct languages, all identifying with a wide variety of cultures. The three largest ethnic groups are the Hausa in the north, Yoruba in the west, and Igbo in the east, together constituting over 60% of the total population. The official language is English, chosen to facilitate linguistic unity at the national level.

FACT 3: The Largest Economy in Africa
Nigeria is a regional power in Africa and a middle and emerging power in international affairs whose economy is the largest in Africa, the 31st-largest in the world by nominal GDP, and 26th-largest by PPP. Nigeria, owing to its large population and economy, is considered to be an emerging market by the World Bank. However, the country ranks very low in the Human Development Index and remains one of the most corrupt nations in the world.

FACT 4: Dominant Member in Africa and in the World
Nigeria, which borders Niger in the north, Chad in the northeast, Cameroon in the east, and Benin in the west, is a founding member of the African Union (AU) and a member of many international organizations, including the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, NAM, the Economic Community of West African States, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries. It is also a member of the informal MINT group of countries and is one of the Next Eleven economies.

FACT 5: Major Oil Producer
According to Statista, Nigeria is the leading oil producer in Africa as of 2021. Oil production amounted to roughly 78 million metric tons in the country. Nigeria is the 12th largest producer of petroleum in the world, the 8th largest exporter, and has the 10th largest proven reserves. Petroleum plays a large role in the Nigerian economy, accounting for 40% of GDP and 80% of government earnings. Recent diversification is aiming at non-oil reliance for its revenues as attempts are made to boost agriculture and other solid mineral resources.

FACT 6: Homebase of Entertainment and Arts
The Nigerian film industry, known as Nollywood (a blend of "Nigeria" and "Hollywood"), is now the second-largest producer of movies in the world, having surpassed Hollywood. Only India's Bollywood is larger. Nigerian film studios are based in Lagos, Kano, and Enugu, and form a major portion of the local economy of these cities. Nigerian Cinema Is Africa's Largest Movie Industry In Terms Of Both Value And The Number Of Movies Produced Per Year. Although Nigerian films have been produced since the 1960s, the country's film industry has been aided by the rise of affordable digital filming and editing technologies. The entertainment and fashion industry in Nigeria also contributes significantly to the country's economics as well as making giant strides worldwide.

FACT 7: Military Might in Africa
Nigeria’s military ranks are among the top 5 in the  list of African countries with exceptionally formidable military forces, after Egypt, Algeria, and South Africa. On the global military poll it is also a force to contend with in the top 50 positions. Though Nigeria's military is weak in comparison to other world superpowers, however, it is a force to be reckoned with when compared to other African countries. Her successful peacekeeping deployments in the West African area (Liberia, Sierra Leone) and across Africa at large demonstrate this (Sudan).

Even as the Giant of Africa, Nigeria has her downsides. The country, which covers an area of 923,769 square kilometres (356,669 sq mi) is, according to the International Monetary Fund, has 32% of Nigeria's population living in extreme poverty (as of 2017), living on less than US$2.15 a day. The World Bank stated in March 2022 that the number of poor Nigerians had increased by 5 million to 95.1 million during the Covid period. Accordingly, 40% of Nigerians live below the poverty line of US$1.90 as handled by the World Bank.

Sources: Wikipedia | bschorlarly | humanrights

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