House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said the lack of interest from relevant authorities to the population growth of Nigeria portends danger for the country.
He said Nigeria’s population growth must be taken seriously and given the needed attention.
He spoke in Abuja at the “Parliamentary Summit on Fast-Tracking Nigeria’s Demographic Transition” organized by the National Population Commission (NPC) and the World Bank.
The Speaker averred that failure to harness and maximize the advantages of the changing population structure was dangerous.
Gbajabiamila charged the government at all levels to identify and be deliberate in taking actions that would maximize Nigeria’s huge manpower.
The Lagos lawmaker said the country could not afford to be complacent about demographic transition as such could be fatal in future.
He noted that it’s been 16 years since the population and housing census, he said the current data is based on projections and estimates.
“What we do know for sure is that Nigeria has a significant and growing youth bulge in our population.
“Whether this fact turns out to be a good thing or a tragedy depends on the policy choices we make and the actions we take now.”
Gbajabiamila called for immediate and sustained actions to drive a demographic change that would make economic growth more attainable.