The World Bank has said that Nigeria’s population could rise to about 350 million people by the year 2050. This means the country may have around 130 million more people than it does today.
Nigeria currently has over 220 million people, making it the sixth most populated country in the world.
The World Bank urged the government to create more jobs to match this growth.
At the 2025 World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings, World Bank President Ajay Banga said that job creation should be a key part of every country’s development and security plans.
He explained that by 2050, 85 percent of the world’s population will live in developing countries, and Africa will have one in every four people on Earth.
According to Banga, around 1.2 billion young people will enter the global workforce within the next 10 to 15 years, competing for only 400 million jobs — just one-third of what’s needed.
“These young people have energy and great ideas,” Banga said. “With the right investments, they can power the world’s future growth.”
He also shared the World Bank’s recent achievements:
20 million farmers now have access to better tools and markets.
60 million people have electricity connections.
70 million people have received education or job training.
300 million people now enjoy better health and nutrition services.
The bank has also partnered with the Asian Development Bank and developed a plan called IFC2030 to attract more private investments.
To fight corruption, the World Bank is helping governments use data, digital ID systems, and AI to track taxes, property, and financial records.
Banga said that in the past decade, the bank has helped 120 governments tackle corruption and is currently working with 26 more to stop illicit financial activities.