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

[Eloueesy]

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

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

Yeah, this. ^

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

Not.

Yeah, but not for decades.

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.

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

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

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.

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

What do you suggest then?

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.

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.

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

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

Not with AI incoming

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

@EasternStandard but Western countries want young workers now & are trying to incentivise them eg Portugal & Luxembourg
I didn’t realise you were talking about decades away.

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.

Yep, not sure how AI will be a saviour if we can’t tax the businesses that create it.

Sadly not all of those babies will get to grow up, it’s the most tragic thing I’ve read for ages (with a new baby myself). https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/feb/05/the-children-are-not-safe-here-the-nigerian-couple-fighting-infanticide