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To be stunned that there were more births in Nigeria in 2024 than the entirety of Europe and Russia combined?

123 replies

Eloueesy · 06/02/2026 07:56

I knew the birth rate was declining in western societies but that figure sounds crazy.

OP posts:
lazybone1 · 06/02/2026 11:05

@Irren I know rich Nigerians. The post I quoted had the word average in it….

EasternStandard · 06/02/2026 11:05

lazybone1 · 06/02/2026 10:54

@EasternStandard why do you think AI means we don’t need any young workers?

It looks like pp has linked a AI in five years article so that’s a start. But more widely the dc born today will be entering the workforce in twenty odd years when it’ll be even more advanced. The workforce needs will be very different.

On that note we need to work out how to extract tax if it’s not from young people working, to the same extent anyway.

lazybone1 · 06/02/2026 11:03

@RichardOnslowRoper but western countries will still need young workers. For one not all jobs are entry level.

Irren · 06/02/2026 11:01

Also @Kendodd family is very culturally important there and family networks are stronger. Not every reason is negative.

Nigeria is one of those places that seems to bring out the crazy in British commenters a lot of the time unfortunately.

Irren · 06/02/2026 11:00

lazybone1 · 06/02/2026 10:25

The birth rate has completely collapsed in developed countries.

I don’t understand how people still don’t get this.

Africa is young.

And yet they will consume far fewer resources per person and create less polution thsn the average child in the West

True

On average. Plenty of rich people in Nigeria. I have lived there very recently. It's weird to me people don't know it is a populous country with a very high birth rate. It's not a secret.

@Kendodd ludicrous, not everyone in Nigeria is in a "terrible" circumstance, they have as much right to a family life as you do. There are people in living in terrible situations and then there are people living normal lives. It's not some theme park of suffering. But for the women who are living in conflict zones etc, it is ridiculous you talk about them as if it's some kind of lifestyle choice.

RichardOnslowRoper · 06/02/2026 10:59

lazybone1 · 06/02/2026 10:54

@EasternStandard why do you think AI means we don’t need any young workers?

Because it is going to replace entry level jobs? www.news18.com/amp/viral/anthropic-ceo-ai-could-replace-half-of-entry-level-white-collar-jobs-in-5-years-aa-ws-l-9883915.html

Potteryclass1 · 06/02/2026 10:58

Kendodd · 06/02/2026 08:21

Ok, my theory on this is that its all about the money.
I developed countries money flows down the generations so every kid you have costs you a fortune and you get no financial return.
In less developed countries, money flows up the generations. You have loads of kids because they quickly grow up, and start taking on responsibility for bringing money into the family. I think this pressure to financially support their parents is partly what drives immigration to the west.
We're a mercenary lot.

Interesting theory that I hadn’t considered. I wonder in a developing country how much of this comes out of necessity. The kids have to work to provide for their parents and siblings? Did the mothers actually plan to have this many kids.

lazybone1 · 06/02/2026 10:54

@EasternStandard why do you think AI means we don’t need any young workers?

EasternStandard · 06/02/2026 10:53

lazybone1 · 06/02/2026 10:33

It’ll be interesting to see if there is a change in society over the coming decades towards young immigrants from abroad.

western countries will be fighting over them.

Not with AI incoming

soupyspoon · 06/02/2026 10:49

Kendodd · 06/02/2026 10:47

At the risk of having my arse handed to me on a plate, it does piss me off when parents choose to have children in such terrible circumstances. Gaza for example. I heard on the radio about how much babies are suffering in Gaza. I did think wtf are they doing having babies in such circumstances in the first place!

I dont think the women have a lot of choice

Kendodd · 06/02/2026 10:47

At the risk of having my arse handed to me on a plate, it does piss me off when parents choose to have children in such terrible circumstances. Gaza for example. I heard on the radio about how much babies are suffering in Gaza. I did think wtf are they doing having babies in such circumstances in the first place!

Skybunnee · 06/02/2026 10:38

I know Trump stopped subsidising birth control overseas due to pressure from the Catholic Church but can’t remember where in Africa

CautiousLurker2 · 06/02/2026 10:38

crumpet · 06/02/2026 08:14

7 million and 3 million??

Quite - the population of UK alone is just under 70mil; rest of Europe is approx 750mil. Nigeria in 2026 is, apparently, 240 mil so Nigeria has a population that is about 30% of UK/Europe combined (similar land mass to mainland Europe excl UK though).

But with the highest birth stats in the world (4-5 children per woman) it is reasonable to extrapolate that the population could equal that of Europe’s in time. However, I think it unlikely to happen imminently at least, as Nigeria would need resources (food, water, utilities, education and health services) to expand in tandem and people there will have to face similar choices to the West over sustainability of larger families in a resource scarce environment.

RichardOnslowRoper · 06/02/2026 10:35

lazybone1 · 06/02/2026 10:33

It’ll be interesting to see if there is a change in society over the coming decades towards young immigrants from abroad.

western countries will be fighting over them.

Germany is already luring Indian tech talent, as is China. They are taking the H1B visa holders Trump is rejecting.

Though I expect AI to have a huge impact.

lazybone1 · 06/02/2026 10:34

Because relativity aside it still adds to the overall increasing global population

What do you suggest then?

lazybone1 · 06/02/2026 10:33

It’ll be interesting to see if there is a change in society over the coming decades towards young immigrants from abroad.

western countries will be fighting over them.

Fedupmumofadultsons · 06/02/2026 10:28

Kendodd · 06/02/2026 08:21

Ok, my theory on this is that its all about the money.
I developed countries money flows down the generations so every kid you have costs you a fortune and you get no financial return.
In less developed countries, money flows up the generations. You have loads of kids because they quickly grow up, and start taking on responsibility for bringing money into the family. I think this pressure to financially support their parents is partly what drives immigration to the west.
We're a mercenary lot.

Very well put yes our children even as young adults say under 30 still cost us. infact any age with my lot but that's not a story for here

lazybone1 · 06/02/2026 10:25

The birth rate has completely collapsed in developed countries.

I don’t understand how people still don’t get this.

Africa is young.

And yet they will consume far fewer resources per person and create less polution thsn the average child in the West

True

CraftyNavySeal · 06/02/2026 10:25

Sunbeam01 · 06/02/2026 08:51

And the fact that people simply cannot afford more children despite desperately wanting them.

That’s not true though, the opposite in fact. The more money people have the fewer children they have.

What this really means is “I cannot afford the lifestyle I want” which tbf is not unreasonable. My old neighbours had 7 kids in a 3 bed semi, they “afforded” it by being very poor basically.

Chiseltip · 06/02/2026 10:23

IceStationZebra · 06/02/2026 10:19

But end-stage capitalism will dog these countries too. Probably faster.

Yeah, but not for decades.

Imlyingandthatsthetruth · 06/02/2026 10:23

I imagine someone posting on an equivalent Nigerian website. "This decrease in European birthrate is really concerning..."

Not.

Zov · 06/02/2026 10:22

soupyspoon · 06/02/2026 10:17

The thread is about Nigeria. Nigeria is a country in Africa. It is not Africa

Your post makes no sense.

Yeah, this. ^

soupyspoon · 06/02/2026 10:22

IceStationZebra · 06/02/2026 10:19

But end-stage capitalism will dog these countries too. Probably faster.

Exactly, in 40 years time Nigeria will be jaded and worn out and exhausted with consumerism, it wont be any different!!!

IceStationZebra · 06/02/2026 10:19

Chiseltip · 06/02/2026 10:02

It's pretty clear that western countries are in terminal decline. Some think it's by design, some think it's a side effect of capitalism. Either way, the maths don't lie. Just to keep the population in equilibrium, each couple would need to have two children. This is fast becoming out of reach for most. With women putting their careers first and having children later in life, one, or perhaps two children, is the most society can hope for.

Here in the west we have all but exhausted our economies and become jaded with consumerism. But interestingly, in places like Africa and Mauritius, thry are just now entering the eara we had back in the 80s and 90s. There, the shopping mall is a new and exciting prospect. People are having credit and mortgages and life is improving. Crucially, those economies are vastly more capable and absolute dwarf ours in terms of the sheer number of people involved. In the UK, our shopping malls have a Greggs, a Superdry, and some out of order toilets. The parking charges alone would buy you lunch. In Mauritius the shopping malls have bowling alleys, cart racing tracks, food courts that sell real food, not junk. And free parking. They are buzzing, vibrant places, ours are just jaded and worn out.

We are going to get swallowed up buy these countries, immigration will utterly change the face of Western democracies, things are about to get very difficult for us.

But end-stage capitalism will dog these countries too. Probably faster.

Elbowpatch · 06/02/2026 10:18

MyThreeWords · 06/02/2026 08:33

Why is it concerning? I mean, obviously the increasing global population is concerning, but why should we be concerned by the relative increase in one part of the world compared with another?

Because relativity aside it still adds to the overall increasing global population?