Demographic Dynamics and Violent Conflicts in Nigeria

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue V, May 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186

Demographic Dynamics and Violent Conflicts in Nigeria

Dahiru Muhammed Kabiru¹*, Ezekiel Ayiwulu¹, Choji V. Dung², Tasiu Muhammad¹, and Fatima, Sidi Sani^1
1Department of Geography, Federal University of Lafia
²Department of Geography, Plateau State University, Bokkos
*Corresponding Author’s

Abstract: Demographically, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with an average growth rate of 3.2% and an approximated population of 190 million people; the seventh world-wide, and the 8th largest exporter of oil and many other resources. However, Nigeria ranks low in human development index, with 39.1% of her population living below income poverty line of US$1.90 a day. These and many other factors combined to spur the various conflicts for which the country is now known, with its huge youth population as one of the most important factors in these perennial conflicts, especially the farmers-herders conflicts, which has become a near daily affair, especially since the return of the country to civil rule in 1999. This paper examines the roles of population dynamics on violent conflicts in Nigeria and its implications on national security and development through field surveys, focused group discussions, and literature review. The study has found out that the country’s huge youths population in addition to issues of governance, are potent tools in the perennial violent conflicts for which the country is known for (of late), and recommends that the state should ensure adequate governance; put in place effective national development policy that caters well for the youths and the nation as a whole.
Key words: Demographic dynamics, Governance, Population, Violent conflicts, Youths
I. INTRODUCTION
Today’s global population is the youngest, more urban, and more educated in history, with about 3.3 billion of the population less than 25 years of age, and about 1.5 billion aged between 12 and 25 years. This number constitutes nearly 30 per cent of the total population, with 86% of the number found in low and mid-income countries of the world. This development implies that the global population is undergoing a form of transformation that makes it a very poignant issue in the socio-economy and wellbeing (Okpanachi, 2010; Dahiru, 2004). This scenario is true for Nigeria with an estimated population of 200 million people and over 250 ethno-linguistic groups.
The youth is an important segment of the Nigeria’s population that must be properly managed to enhance the nation’s development, as well as keeping it away from all the vices that may push it into all forms of antisocial activities (Nigeria Watch, 2018). 4.2% of this population is less than 15 years of age, 29% is aged between 15 to 19 years, with 24% in the prime age bracket of 30-59 years. The elderly constitutes about 4.8% of the population in 2006 and 5.1% in 2015. The median age of the country’s population is 17.9% for the

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