Abstract

Author:
Nathan Udoinyang, Reuben Daniel , Agatemor Akpotha William, Umuakpo Oviemuno Fredrick

Doi: 10.26480/egnes.01.2025.03.07

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

This research looks at the impact of population growth on the economy of Benue State Nigeria. The research used both primary and secondary data to compile its population which was estimated 2,753,007 in 1991 and has increased to 4,253,641 NPC census 2006, and projected at 6,141,300 by NBS as of 2022 at the rate of 2.3% annual increase. A sample size of 400 was achieved by using Taro Yamane formula. With the use of a purposive sampling methodology, 400 questionnaires were circulated and 312 were collected. Using a mean criterion of 3.0, the questionnaire was evaluated using a 5-point Likert scale, SPSS and Cronbach Alpha correlation of 0.80 was employed in it data analysis. According to the research, pressure on the state’s infrastructure, including roads, housing, and public utilities, decrease in per capita income leading to reduced standards of living in Benue State, unemployment and underemployment, particularly among young people in Benue State, exacerbation of poverty, environmental degradation, including deforestation, soil erosion, and pollution that decrease the economy of Benue State, food insecurity, pressure on the state’s healthcare system are some of impact of population growth on the economy of Benue State Nigeria. The study gave some recommendation and concluded that by implementing the recommendations of the study, government of Benue State can reduce the negative impact of population growth on the state’s economy, promote sustainable economic growth, and improve the living standards of its citizens.