Mustapha Lawal
The former governor of Kano state and presidential flag bearer of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso appeared at the Chatham House on January 18th, 2023. Kwankwaso to speak on the topic ‘Nigeria’s 2023 elections: Service delivery and policy alternatives’.
Here are the fact-checks of some of the claims made:
Claim 1: Nigeria will be the third most populous country by 2050 (with 400 million citizens).
Verdict
True based on the available forecast published in 2022 by Statista (Nigeria: population forecast 2025-2050).
Full-text
The NNPP presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso claimed that Nigeria’s population will have grown to 400 million in the year 2050. He made this claim while making his presentation at the Chatham House.
“In less than 30 years to come, our country (Nigeria) will be the third most populous country in the world with a population of over 400 million people in 2050,” he said.
Verification
Findings revealed that the current population of Nigeria according to the World Bank & United States Census Bureau stands at 213.4 million (2021) a 2.44% increase from 208.3 million (2020).
The World Data Info reported the trend of growth from 1960 to 2021, with the population of Nigeria increasing from 45.14 million to 211.40 million people. This is a growth of 368.3% in 61 years. The highest increase in Nigeria’s population was recorded in 1978 with 3.08%. The smallest increase was in 1961 with 2.05% according to World data info. The trend of this growth shows a high likelihood of the claim.
Meanwhile, the top 10 most populous countries according to World Population Review are China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Brazil, Bangladesh, Russia, and Mexico.
Conclusion
The statement is True. The trend of growth in Nigeria’s population over the year shows a likelihood of the population growing to 400 million in 2050.
Claim 2: Built thousands of primary schools, hundreds of secondary schools, two (2) universities, and twenty-six (26) other institutes in four (4) years
Verdict
True
Full-text
The former governor of Kano state also claimed to have given a chance to all children (students) in Kano state to have education by building several educational structures across all levels of education.
“We have every resource, manpower, and everything required to ensure that each child in Nigeria goes to school. And we did it when I had the opportunity to be the governor of Kano state. All our children are given the opportunity by building thousands of primary schools, hundreds of secondary schools, two universities, and twenty-six other institutes all in four years,” he maintained during the chat.
Verification
A report published by Guardian Nigeria in 2022, The Guardian page, states that Rabiu Kwankwaso is one of the few government officials who have invested heavily in the educational sector. Kwankwaso’s administration was said to have overhauled primary schools in the state through the construction of over 2000 classrooms and 1000 offices.
He was said to have established 230 secondary schools during his tenure as the governor. He facilitated 47 technical colleges, 44 schools of Islamic studies, a Chinese college, a French college, the first boarding girls’ college as well as a boys’ college in Damagaran and Niamey jointly with the Government of Niger Republic.
He was credited to have established the Kano University of Science and Technology and the North West University, Kano during his first (1999 to 2003) and second (2011 to 2015) tenure in office as governor respectively. He was also reported to have established 26 academic and manpower development training institutes.
Conclusion
True! Rabiu Kwankwaso administration in Kano was credited to have invested in education by building several educational institutes across levels of education in the state.