Highlight the economic effects of high population density in Nigeria.

Answer Details

Population density is the number of people living per unit area of land, \(\text{density} = \dfrac{\text{total population}}{\text{land area}}\). Where density is very high, as in parts of Nigeria, the following economic effects arise. Some are harmful and some can be beneficial.

Adverse effects

• Pressure on land: intense demand for farmland leads to fragmentation, over-cultivation and falling soil fertility.
• Unemployment and underemployment where the labour force grows faster than available jobs.
• Strain on social amenities: housing, water, electricity, schools and hospitals become overstretched, encouraging slums.
• Low per capita income if output does not keep pace with the number of people to be shared among.
• Environmental problems: congestion, pollution and poor sanitation.
• Food shortages and rising food prices when local production cannot feed the dense population.

Possible favourable effects

• Large labour supply for farms, factories and services.
• Large domestic market that encourages mass production and investment.
• Easier and cheaper provision of infrastructure per person because people are concentrated together.