Key Evidence and Statistics
Part of Nigeria as an NEE Case Study — GCSE Geography
This key facts covers Key Evidence and Statistics within Nigeria as an NEE Case Study for GCSE Geography. Revise Nigeria as an NEE Case Study in The Changing Economic World for GCSE Geography with 15 exam-style questions and 24 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 4 of 13 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 4 of 13
Practice
15 questions
Recall
24 flashcards
📋 Key Evidence and Statistics
| Evidence | Detail and Significance |
|---|---|
| GDP | ~$440 billion — Africa's largest economy by total output, larger than South Africa |
| Population | ~220 million — Africa's most populous country; projected top 3 globally by 2050 |
| HDI | 0.539, ranked 163rd/191 — low despite large GDP, showing growth ≠ development |
| Poverty rate | 62% below $1.90/day international poverty line — majority do not benefit from oil wealth |
| Oil reserves | 37 billion barrels proven — among the world's top 10; OPEC member since 1971 |
| Oil dependence | ~90% of export earnings, ~70% of government revenue — extreme vulnerability to price changes |
| Shell employment | ~65,000 direct and indirect employees in Nigeria — largest private employer |
| Nollywood | $600m+ annual revenue; 2,500+ films/year; ~1 million jobs — world's 2nd largest film industry by volume |
| Lagos GDP share | ~25% of Nigeria's total GDP — extreme urban economic concentration |
| Lagos population | 15+ million in the city proper; largest city in Africa by some measures |
| Niger Delta oil spills | 1,000+ spills recorded since 2010 — equivalent to an Exxon Valdez every year |
| Mobile phone users | 100+ million active users — transformed banking access for rural populations |
| Abuja | Planned capital since 1991 — government, embassies, growing middle-class suburb; symbolises modernisation intent |
| ECOWAS membership | Founding member of 15-nation West African trade bloc — reduces trade barriers regionally |
Quick Check: Explain why TNCs like Shell have both helped and limited Nigeria's development. Use specific evidence.
TNCs like Shell have helped Nigeria's development in several ways. Shell pays billions in taxes and royalties to the Nigerian government, funds that have been invested in roads, schools and the new capital Abuja. Shell employs around 65,000 people directly and indirectly, creating formal jobs. Technology transfer has built Nigerian engineering skills. However, the limitations are significant. Shell repatriates profits back to shareholders in the UK and Netherlands, so a large share of the wealth extracted from Nigeria does not stay in the country. Over 1,000 oil spills have been recorded in the Niger Delta since 2010, destroying fishing livelihoods and contaminating drinking water. Shell and the Nigerian government have disputed responsibility for cleanup costs, leaving communities to live with ongoing contamination. Overall, TNCs bring real economic gains but also significant costs, and the profit flow out of Nigeria limits the long-term development impact.