ABOUT NIGERIA

POPULATION
With a population of over 140 million, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation and accounts for 47% of West Africa’s population. Nigeria has 36 states and is divided into 6 geo-political zones: North-Central, North-East, North-West, South-East, South-East, and South-South. Nigeria is made up of about 200 ethnic groups, 500 indigenous languages and 2 major religions: Christianity and Islam. There are 3 majority ethnic groups in Nigeria: the Hausa-Fulani in the North, the Yoruba in the South-West and the Igbo in South-East. Children and young people make up 60% of the population.

GOVERNANCE
Nigeria’s leadership has been dominated by the military; however, in 1999 the country returned to democratic rule.  In 2007, the swearing in of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua marked the first successful handover from one civilian administration to another. Yar’Adua pledged his administration to reform through his 7-point Agenda, which addresses development related to human capital, critical infrastructure, food security, national security, the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, wealth creation,land tenure changes and home ownership. Nigeria’s economy is highly dependent on the oil and gas sector which contributes over 97% of exports and 81% of government revenue, but only 17% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), due to unrest in the Niger Delta. The agricultural sector contributes to over 40% of the country’s GDP.

SOME REALITIES.....
Despite the fact that Nigeria makes up 41% of the sub-Saharan African (SSA) GDP (the second largest in the region), about 54% of the population lives below $1 a day. The maternal mortality rate is one of the highest in the world and the infant mortality rate is estimated at 99 per 1000 live births.

The HIV & AIDS epidemic is a severe problem in Nigeria, exacerbated by factors such as poverty, lack of access to information and services, gender inequality and other socio-economic factors. The prevalence rate of 4.6% is low compared to other countries in West Africa and the larger SSA. However, because of Nigeria’s large population, it has the second highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHAs) in the world. As of 2008, there are an estimated 3 million PLHAs, 2.23 million AIDS orphans and 56,681 annual live HIV+ births.

Prevalence rates in the country differ between geo-political zones, with the highest being South-South (7%) and North-Central (5.4%)This is where EVA concentrates its work. The states with the highest prevalence rates are: Benue (link to Benue section) (10.6%), Nasarawa (link to Nasarawa section) (10%), FCT (link to FCT section)(9.9%), Akwa Ibom (9.7%), and Cross River (link to Cross River section) (8%). All these states witnessed an increase in prevalence rates from 2005 to 2008. The prevalence rates for youth aged 20 – 24 and 25 – 29 are 4.6% and 5.6% respectively.

ABOUT NASARAWA
Nasarawa state was created in 1996 out of neighbouring Plateau state. Located in the North-Central region of Nigeria, it is bordered on the West by the Federal Capital Territory, the North by Kaduna, the South by Benue and Kogi, and on the East by Plateau and Taraba states.  Nasarawa’s main economic activity is agriculture; cash crops such as yam, cassava andegusi (melon). Production of minerals such as salt is also another major economic activity in the state; Nasarawa produces a large proportion of the salt consumed in the country.

Nasarawa has a diverse range of ethnic groups indigenous to the state. According to the 2006 census a little less than 2 million people reside in the state. The state has 13 local governments and the capital is located in Lafia. The state is home to five tertiary institutions: Nasarawa State University, Federal and State Polytechnics, the Federal College of Agriculture and the Federal College of Education.

Nasarawa state has been called a hot spot due to the rapid spread of the HIV epidemic. According to the national sentinel surveys, the state prevalence rate rose from 6.7% in 2005 to 10.0% in 2008.

Our Projects in Nasarawa:

Window of Hope (LINK)
Plus OVC Campaign (LINK)
Dooshima Education Fund (LINK)

ABOUT BENUE
Located in the North-Central geo-political zone, Benue state is named after the River Benue, one of Nigeria’s two principal rivers. It is bordered on the North by Nasarawa state, the East by Taraba state, the West by Kogi state and in the South by Cross River, Enugu and Ebonyi states. The Cameroonian border is located on the Southeast.

As with most central states, Benue is a boiling pot of ethnic groups dominated by the Tiv and Idoma people. Other ethnic groups indigenous to the state include Igede, Etulo and Abakwa. Benue state is a rich agricultural region that produces crops such as yam, rice and cassava, and fruits such as oranges and mangoes. The state also has a vibrant fishing community. According to the 2006 census the state is home to over 4 million people and has 23 local government areas (LGAs) with the capital located in Makurdi LGA.

Benue state consistently has the highest HIV prevalence rate in the country. According to the National Sentinel Survey, the prevalence rate increased from 10% in 2005 to 10.6% in 2008

Our Projects in Benue:

Window of Hope (LINK)
EVA Youth World (LINK)
AIM Project (LINK)
Plus OVC Education Campaign (LINK)
eFLHE/FLHE (LINK)
EP3 Project (LINK)

ABOUT CROSS RIVER
Cross River state is a coastal state located in the South-South geo-political zone of Nigeria. It is bordered on the North by Benue, on the West by Enugu and Abia states, to the south by Akwa Ibom and the Atlantic Ocean and on the East by the Cameroonian border. (Read More) Cross River state was created in 1967 and the present day Akwa Ibom was excised from the state in 1987. Cross River state is ethnically diverse, including Efiks, Bekwaras, Ejagham and Igbo inhabitants.

Cross River state is made up of 18 local government areas with Calabar as its capital. Agriculture and tourism are the major industries in the state. Cocoa, rubber, yam, oil palms are among the crops grown in the region. Cross River is one of the hot spots in terms of the HIV epidemic. According to the 2008 sentinel survey the prevalence rate had risen to 9.7% from 6.1% and it now has the 5^th highest prevalence rate in the country.

Our Projects in Cross River:

AIM Project (LINK)

ABOUT THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY (FCT)
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was created in 1976 from parts of Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger states. It is home to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, and is located in the North Central geo-political zone. The FCT is made up of six area councils: Abaji, Kwali, Kuje, Bwari, Gwagwalada and Abuja Municipal. It has a population of about 1.4 million people (2006 Census).

Nigeria’s capital was moved from Lagos (in the South-West) to Abuja in December 1991, in a bid to find a location more central to the nation’s ethno-religious diversity. Abuja is known as Africa’s best purpose-built city, as well as its wealthiest and most expensive. The FCT is home to sights such as the National Mosque and the National Christian Centre.

The HIV prevalence rate in the FCT has consistently remained higher than the national rate. According to the National Sentinel Survey, the HIV prevalence rate rose from 6.1% in 2005 to 9.9% in 2008.

Our Projects in the FCT:

My Question & Answer (LINK)
eFLHE/FLHE (LINK)
Plus OVC Education Campaign (LINK)
EP3 Project (LINK)
International ‘Youth Speak Out’ Project (LINK)
National HIV Hotline (LINK)