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EMMF:
Making a Difference in Nigeria
Overview
NIGERIA, ITS PEOPLE AND THEIR NEEDS
An Opportunity for Episcopal Medical
Missions Foundation
SITE VISIT AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT - JANUARY
13-22, 2000
THOMAS E. WILLIAMS, MD, FAAP PEGGY WILLIAMS, RNC (Public Health)
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Location: |
On the coast of West Africa, on the Gulf of Guinea |
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Area: |
356,669 sq. mi. (923,770 sq. km.) |
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Population (1999 est.) |
113 million; Africa’s most populous nation also has the largest
black population in the world. |
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Urbanization (1985): |
28% |
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Annual population gain: |
2.92% |
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Infant mortality rate (1999): |
69.5 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Ethnic Groups: |
250 to 400 or more recognized groups, many divided into
subgroups of considerable social and political importance. Most important ethnolinguistic
categories: Hausa and Fulani in
north, Yoruba in southwest, and Igbo in southeast. Other major groups: Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, and Ijaw. |
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Religions: |
Muslims 50% (chiefly adherents of Sunni Islam) |
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Christians 40% |
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Indigenous Religions 10% |
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Languages: |
English is the official language used in government, large-scale
business, mass media, and education beyond primary school. Several other languages recognized for
primary education. Classical Arabic
of religious significance in the north. |
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Literacy (1995 est): |
57%. Primary education
(six years) is compulsory. |
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Economy: |
The Gross National Product (GNP) was $106 billion in 1998. Per capita income was $960 in 1998
(est). Agriculture represents 40% of
the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Cash crops include cocoa, palm oil, rubber, cotton, and peanuts. Manufacturing constitutes 10% of GDP and
includes food products, textiles, cement, building materials, footwear,
chemical products, ceramics, and small appliances. Exports are cocoa and petroleum. Nigeria is the world’s sixth largest oil exporter. |
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