The Nigerian welfare state system: with special reference to the challenges of developing a social security system

Nigeria has the largest population of any country in Africa, and its population continues to grow at a rapid rate, meaning that it could rank only less than China and India in the not too distant future. While rich in oil, the vast majority of people remain in poverty, and at present it does not appear the situation has improved since Lewis’s statement a decade ago. This chapter describes social welfare in Nigeria in the context of the challenges Nigeria faces.