Sokoto, Nigeria – Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has sounded a stark warning that Nigeria’s surging population could unleash crises far worse than Boko Haram if not urgently addressed before 2050. Speaking at the inauguration of the Bakhita ICT Centre at the Catholic Secretariat in Sokoto, Obasanjo cautioned that the country’s projected population of 400 million would overwhelm food supplies, jobs, and governance structures if proactive measures are not taken.
“If we fail to prepare for that, Boko Haram of today will be a child’s play. We have to take care of it now,” Obasanjo said, underscoring the importance of education, technology, and inclusive governance as tools to avert looming instability.
He urged Nigerians to embrace unity in diversity and resist divisive external narratives. “If our diversity is managed with good governance and inclusion, we will not only be respected but counted among the leading nations of the world,” he added.
The event also drew remarks from the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, who echoed Obasanjo’s call for national cohesion. He stressed the need to confront insecurity collectively and lauded Obasanjo for his long-standing commitment to unity.
Obasanjo praised Bishop Hassan Matthew Kukah, who spearheaded the ICT project, describing it as a facility open to all Nigerians regardless of religion, ethnicity, or gender. Sokoto State officials, represented by Chief of Staff Alhaji Aminu Dikko, pledged continued support for technology education to create opportunities for future generations.
Obasanjo’s remarks come amid mounting concerns over Nigeria’s demographic trajectory, with the UN projecting the country will become the world’s third most populous nation by mid-century. Analysts warn that without policies on family planning, education, and economic empowerment, the pressure could deepen poverty, fuel extremism, and strain already fragile state institutions.
