Nigerians, who are 60 years and above currently represent less than five percent of the entire population, while overall life expectancy is 55.2 years, the National Population Commission (NPC) has said..
According to the Nigeria’s foreign affairs ministry, the Acting Chairman of the NPC, Alhaji Hassan Bashir, stated this in New York on Monday while delivering Nigeria’s statement at the 52nd Session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), life expectancy is the average number of years that a newborn is expected to live.
Bashir added: “As you may be aware, Nigeria’s estimated population is currently at over 198 million with an annual growth rate of 3.2 percent.
“The total Fertility Rate remains at 5.5 per woman; 63 percent of the entire population is under the age of 25; 42 percent is under the age of 15 years.
“Fifty percent of the female population is in the reproductive years, while 54.8 percent of the population constitutes the working age.”
According to him, Nigeria recently concluded the field work of its national demography and health survey in 2018 and while it awaits the outcome of that survey, early and child marriage still persists.
He said that data available indicated that unintended and unwanted pregnancies were common as 23 percent of the adolescent girl age 15 to 19 years have commenced reproduction.
Bashir said the situation had put women, especially young girls, at risk of maternal death which stands at 576 deaths per 100,000 live births.
He added that 61 percent of women of reproductive age, who had live births within this period received antenatal care from skilled providers.
However, only 36 percent of them had their deliveries in health facilities and 38 percent of the deliveries were attended to by skilled birth assistants, he said.
He explained that the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) had been conducted regularly with plans to conduct a census during the 2020 round of census.
Bashir, however, bemoaned the major challenge of unavailability of timely information and robust disaggregated data for tracking progress aimed at achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Bande, also delivered a statement on behalf of African Group, in which he said Africa recognised the urgent need to unleash the creative initiative and energy of its large youth population.
Bande, Chairman, African Group at the UN, said Africa remained committed to cooperating internationally to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration involving full respect for human rights and the humane treatment of all migrants.
“To this effect, the African Group supports the free movement of people and goods within countries as it foster rural-urban inter-linkages, and regional integration,” he said.
MM/GIK/APA