Population growth is one of the greatest problems that the human species can face, no matter where it occurs in the world. Since the 1960s, the growth rate of the world's population has been increasing rapidly and, in some cases, doubling. Rapid population growth brings with it many challenges that people have to face and Nigeria is no exception. Nigeria, a country located in West Africa, is the sixth most populous country in the world with a total population of more than 167 million inhabitants (Rosenthal). The problems Nigeria is experiencing due to population growth are just some of the problems many other populous countries face around the world. Nigeria's high rates of unemployment, crime, poverty and lack of health and education are just some of the many factors caused by population growth. Nigeria has always been a country well known for its African music, but that has long been overshadowed by the problems they face when it comes to fertility rates. The average replacement fertility rate is normally 2.1, but in Nigeria the replacement rate is much higher, reaching 6.8. This dramatic increase in fertility rates is one of the main causes of unemployment: 50% of Nigerians aged 15 to 24 living in urban areas are unemployed. This in turn has led to criminal acts because people are not able to support themselves due to lack of jobs (Rosenthal). Rates of crime and violence have also increased due to frustration with unemployment and poverty. Due to Nigeria's large population, most people belong to the lower social class and live in crowded places. These conditions prove very difficult when families "squeeze themselves into 7 foot by 11 foot rooms along a narrow ... middle of paper ..., education and high rates of poverty, crime and unemployment. Hopefully in the near future people will be more informed about population growth and will only have more children if they can support themselves. In this way, there will be no more children who will suffer from poverty or who will ever experience the feeling of being hungry or suffering from malnutrition.Works CitedEzedike, Eu. Sophia: An African Journal of Philosophy 13.1 (2010 ): n. page. Print.Melesse, Tewodros. “Nigeria’s population boom: a problem or not?” The New York Times. The New York Times, April 18, 2012. Web. April 19, 2014. Ovbiagele, Helen. "Nigeria's Growing Population: Problems Arise - Vanguard News." Avant-garde News. Np, June 3, 2012. Web. April 19, 2014.Rosenthal, Elisabeth. “Nigeria’s population is soaring in anticipation of a global problem.” NYTimes.com. Np, April 15, 2012. Web. April 19. 2014.