Contemporary social issues in Nigeria
Every community has its own set of social issues, especially if it is a nation. When people are aware of these issues and work hard to solve them, a way out is usually found faster. The solutions to the issues usually start with people’s own awareness and acknowledgment of the problem. Social issues in Nigeria are an important thing that should not be neglected by the government and people. Continue reading to learn about the current contemporary problems that Nigeria is struggling with.
Social problems in Nigeria: what are they?
The country is undoubtedly struggling with a long list of contemporary issues. The government currently has a lot on its shoulders, so the responsibility of solving social problems partly lies on the citizens. Many people believe that a single person can change the world, and if a group of people understand that something is wrong, they should try to do something to change it for the better.
In the article, you will find a complete analysis and description of all the primary contemporary social problems in Nigeria that are influencing the country’s population and waiting for wise solutions.
1. National identity problem
Nigeria is a relatively young country because it gained independence only 57 years ago, in 1960. It was also created in an artificial way after gaining freedom from its colonial masters. There is a large number of tribes in Nigeria, and this is one of the important issues being faced, because to this day the country still has problems with gaining and voicing a national idea. The main purpose of this idea of nationality is to unite all the social, religious and ethnic groups within one country and make them identify as Nigerians despite all their differences. Besides, there are some conflicts with other nations that create unnecessary tension among Nigerians.
2. Poverty of the population
This is, without any doubt, a large social issue which does not portray Nigeria in the best light. Poverty causes a lot of problems in the society, and while the population of the country is huge, a large part of it does not have access to the basic needs for comfortable living. Statistical data shows that about 70% of the country’s residents live below the line of poverty, and there are a lot of people who are forced to survive on just $2 per day, which is a critical situation. The population is rapidly growing, and soon, even more people will be under the risk of living in poor conditions without money and food.
3. Corruption among influential branch of Nigeria
Nigeria is known as a country with a high level of corruption amongst its government representatives. Reports show that some people in government offices earn as much in a year, as the average Nigerian could earn in 65 years; this shows that they definitely have other sources of income apart from their official salary. In all honesty, the governmental system in the country is corrupt and there is a clear lack of justice. This has led to an increased level of stealing, manipulation and bribes. Corruption is the main reason for class division; while people living in poverty are struggling to survive, the rich people have huge possessions and are becoming wealthier with every passing year.
4. Inequality between wealthy and poor
This problem was briefly pointed out in the last paragraph – in fact, Nigeria is widely called “the rich country with poor people”. The reason for this is a huge amount of natural resources all over the country which are not equally spread amongst citizens – the bigger quantities go to the rich people, while the poor ones are left to suffer. In light of the poverty problem, it is quite ironic to know that some of the richest people in Africa come from Nigeria. The primary issue is that the main part of the country’s population is involved in petty agriculture and earn very little. Only a few chosen people have access to the oil production sector, which brings the biggest income to the country. This leaves the situation as it is – poor people are destined to struggle with poverty, while the rich cannot get enough of their expensive belongings.
READ ALSO: 20 Types of Corruption in Nigeria
5. Terrorist attacks
The terrorist group called Boko Haram is one of the reason for Nigeria’s worldwide fame. This organization is fighting against the western way of life and they have already murdered hundreds of citizens during their terrorist attacks. Lots of people have lost their homes or gotten displaced from their hometowns due to the activities of Boko Haram. This issue is definitely an important one – terrorists have to be dealt with before they can kill more innocent residents.
6. Child mortality
Contemporary issues in Nigeria are all serious, however, this one really hits home. According to the statistics, over 2000 children die of hunger, diseases and abandonment daily in Nigeria. Nigeria comes second in the world’s child mortality rating. The leading reasons for this huge issue are lack of education amongst women, bad health care system in the country and, most importantly, general poverty of the population. As already mentioned, a huge part of Nigerians is forced to live on $2 per day or even less, so it was estimated that $10 could save the life of one child because this is the price of antibiotic medicine. Unfortunately, poor parents cannot afford such a luxury, and a lot of children under the age of 5 die everyday in Nigeria.
7. High rate of unemployment
Most of the unemployed in the country are those who left their homes to search for a better life; such movements are the reason major cities like Lagos is overpopulated – people go there to look for opportunities. This is a strong social issue which often leads to psychological problems. The current rate of unemployment in Nigeria is about 8.2%.
8. Low level of education
Lots of people have strong negative opinions about Nigeria’s system of education, and they mostly blame the government and their involvement with corruption for this. The statistics show that only 50% of women and 70% of men in Nigeria can read or write. This is obviously an issue of high importance because our world is based on information technologies and uneducated people do not stand a chance of succeeding in this world.
9. Division of tribes
Tribal conflicts are common in Nigeria because the country is young and has not existed for too long. The biggest tribes in Nigeria are Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, and they all are culturally and religiously different, not to mention the fact that they all speak their own language. These differences have been causing conflicts all through the years, and this situation is yet to change. The different tribes still have conflicts with each other from time to time, and this does not help in making sure they remain one Nigeria.
10. Domestic violence
Even though domestic violence is normalized in some countries, it is a serious issue because it harms people, not just grown-ups, but children too. It is mostly related to alcohol and drug abuse and can lead to severe injuries, in some cases even murder. The victims of domestic violence usually have nowhere to turn to, so they have to endure this mistreatment.
There are a lot of contemporary social issues in Nigeria, however, the country is not completely hopeless – the mindset of the government and people can still be changed. It may take a long time, but there is still a chance that these problems can be dealt with if we work hard enough.
READ ALSO: Rural housing problems in Nigeria
Source: Legit.ng
