In 2022, roughly 15.4 million people lived in Lagos, Nigeria, making it the largest city in Africa. Lagos's population has been gradually increasing, with thousands of people flocking every year to the city, searching for job opportunities and a better life. By 2035, 24.4 million might be dwelling in the city.

Nigeria is the African country with the largest population, counting over 230 million people. As of 2024, the largest city in Nigeria was Lagos, which is also the largest city in sub-Saharan Africa in terms of population size. The city counts more than nine million inhabitants, whereas Kano, the second most populous city, registers around 3.6 million inhabitants. Lagos is the main financial, cultural, and educational center in the country. Where Africa’s urban population is booming The metropolitan area of Lagos is also among the largest urban agglomerations in the world. Besides Lagos, another most populated citiy in Africa is Cairo, in Egypt. However, Africa’s urban population is booming in other relatively smaller cities. For instance, the population of Bujumbura, in Burundi, could grow by 123 percent between 2020 and 2035, making it the fastest growing city in Africa and likely in the world. Similarly, Zinder, in Niger, could reach over one million inhabitants by 2035, the second fastest growing city. Demographic urban shift More than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas. In the next decades, this will increase, especially in Africa and Asia. In 2020, over 80 percent of the population in Northern America was living in urban areas, the highest share in the world. In Africa, the degree of urbanization was about 40 percent, the lowest among all continents. Meeting the needs of a fast-growing population can be a challenge, especially in low-income countries. Therefore, there will be a growing necessity to implement policies to sustainably improve people’s lives in rural and urban areas.

Historical dataset of population level and growth rate for the Lagos, Nigeria metro area from 1950 to 2025.

Cairo, in Egypt, ranked as the most populated city in Africa as of 2025, with an estimated population of over 23 million inhabitants living in Greater Cairo. Kinshasa, in Congo, and Lagos, in Nigeria, followed with some 17.8 million and 17.2 million, respectively. Among the 15 largest cities in the continent, another one, Kano, was located in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa. Population density trends in Africa As of 2023, Africa exhibited a population density of 50.1 individuals per square kilometer. Since 2000, the population density across the continent has been experiencing a consistent annual increment. Projections indicated that the average population residing within each square kilometer would rise to approximately 58.5 by the year 2030. Moreover, Mauritius stood out as the African nation with the most elevated population density, exceeding 627 individuals per square kilometre. Mauritius possesses one of the most compact territories on the continent, a factor that significantly influences its high population density. Urbanization dynamics in Africa The urbanization rate in Africa was anticipated to reach close to 45.5 percent in 2024. Urbanization across the continent has consistently risen since 2000, with urban areas accommodating only around a third of the total population then. This trajectory is projected to continue its rise in the years ahead. Nevertheless, the distribution between rural and urban populations shows remarkable diversity throughout the continent. In 2024, Gabon and Libya stood out as Africa’s most urbanized nations, each surpassing 80 percent urbanization. As of the same year, Africa's population was estimated to expand by 2.27 percent compared to the preceding year. Since 2000, the population growth rate across the continent has consistently exceeded 2.3 percent, reaching its pinnacle at 2.63 percent in 2013. Although the growth rate has experienced a deceleration, Africa's population will persistently grow significantly in the forthcoming years.

As of July 2024, Nigeria's population was estimated at around 229.5 million. Between 1965 and 2024, the number of people living in Nigeria increased at an average rate of over two percent. In 2024, the population grew by 2.42 percent compared to the previous year. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. By extension, the African continent records the highest growth rate in the world. Africa's most populous country Nigeria was the most populous country in Africa as of 2023. As of 2022, Lagos held the distinction of being Nigeria's biggest urban center, a status it also retained as the largest city across all of sub-Saharan Africa. The city boasted an excess of 17.5 million residents. Notably, Lagos assumed the pivotal roles of the nation's primary financial hub, cultural epicenter, and educational nucleus. Furthermore, Lagos was one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. Nigeria's youthful population In Nigeria, a significant 50 percent of the populace is under the age of 19. The most prominent age bracket is constituted by those up to four years old: comprising 8.3 percent of men and eight percent of women as of 2021. Nigeria boasts one of the world's most youthful populations. On a broader scale, both within Africa and internationally, Niger maintains the lowest median age record. Nigeria secures the 20th position in global rankings. Furthermore, the life expectancy in Nigeria is an average of 62 years old. However, this is different between men and women. The main causes of death have been neonatal disorders, malaria, and diarrheal diseases.

The LAGOS-US HUMAN v1 data package is an extension module of the LAGOS-US research platform that includes data characterizing human population (population count, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic information), urbanization, and lake access of 479,950 lakes larger than or equal to 1 ha in the conterminous U.S. (48 states plus the District of Columbia). This data module contains four data tables linked through the unique lake identifier for the LAGOS-US research platform, lagoslakeid. Human population characteristics (race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors) were derived from U.S. census data for 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020. Lakes were classified as urban or not using two different classifications: one based on the ‘Developed’ land category in the National Land Cover Dataset; and another based on the 2020 Census Urban Areas category. Metrics for lake access were developed from national datasets on public boat launches, transportation, and public lands. LAGOS-US HUMAN v1 provides a link between lake data and human contexts, facilitating interdisciplinary research in limnology, urban ecology, environmental justice, and conservation. To facilitate such studies, users are encouraged to use the other three core data modules of the LAGOS-US platform: LOCUS (location, identifiers, and physical characteristics of lakes and their watersheds); GEO (geospatial ecological context at multiple spatial and temporal scales); and LIMNO (in situ lake physical, chemical, and biological measurements through time) that are each found in their own data packages.

Populated place − place or area with clustered or scattered buildings and a permanent human population (city, settlement, town, village) and by definition has no legal boundaries

Foraging for wild resources links urban citizens to nature and biodiversity while providing resources important for local livelihoods and culture. However, the abundance and distributional (in)equity of forageable urban tree resources have rarely been examined. Consequently, this study assessed the abundance of forageable street trees and their distribution in Lagos metropolis, Nigeria. During a survey of 32 randomly selected wards across 16 local government areas (LGAs) in the metropolis, 4,017 street trees from 46 species were enumerated. The LGA with the highest number of street trees was Ikeja, with 818 trees, while Lagos Island had the lowest count, with two trees. This disparity in tree numbers could be attributed to variations in human population density within each LGA. Ninety-four percent of the street trees surveyed had at least one documented use and 76 % had two, and thus were potentially forageable. However, the most common species had relatively low forageability scores. O..., All 16 LGAs were chosen and two wards from each LGA were randomly sampled, resulting in a total of 32 wards. Street trees were defined as "trees located in or near roads or streets" (Thomsen et al. 2016) for the purpose of this research. The road network dataset for Nigeria, which includes main roads, was obtained from the OpenStreetMap data and prepared by the World Food Programme (WFP) following the United Nations Spatial Data Infrastructure standards. This dataset was used to count and identify all trees on both sides of every street in the selected wards. The size, or basal diameter, of trees on the left side of the street was subsequently measured. The location of each tree was recorded using a handheld Garmin GPS 64x device. Furthermore, the usability ratings (edible, medicinal, and other uses) of the surveyed species were recorded based on the information provided by the “Useful Tropical Plants Database†(https://tropical.theferns.info/). The edible and medicinal usability rating..., , # The abundance and distributional (in)equalities of forageable street tree resources in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria

https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.pzgmsbcwf

Description of the data and file structure

The data contains street tree data in the Lagos metropolis. Thirty-two wards (32) were selected in Lagos Metropolis. Each worksheet was labeled by the ward name, making 32 worksheets in the Excel workbook.Â

Each Worksheet represents:

S/N – the serial number of species surveyed in a particular ward

Family – this is the family the species belongs to

Latin name – this represents the scientific name or full name of the species. Genus and specific epithet

Common name - this is the name known to the general public

BC (cm) - means basal circumference, the measurement of a tree at 4.5ft above the ground

Pi = 3.142

BA (cm) - means basal diameter, calculated by dividing the BC by Pi

ud - represents an unidentifiable stem

Populated place − place or area with clustered or scattered buildings and a permanent human population (city, settlement, town, village) and by definition has no legal boundaries

Lagos Built-Up Areas
This dataset falls under the category Traffic Generating Parameters Land Cover.
It contains the following data: Populated place place or area with clustered or scattered buildings and a permanent human population (city, settlement, town, village) and by definition has no legal boundaries
This dataset was scouted on 02/07/2022 as part of a data sourcing project conducted by TUMI. License information might be outdated: Check original source for current licensing. The data can be accessed using the following URL / API Endpoint: https://geoserver.grid3.gov.ng/geoserver/GRIDMaster/ows?service=WFS&version=1.0.0&request=GetFeature&typeName=GRIDMaster:u_fe_builtup_areas&outputFormat=application%2Fjson&CQL_FILTER=state_code%3D%27LA%27See URL for data access and license information.

Populated place − place or area with clustered or scattered buildings and a permanent human population (city, settlement, town, village) and by definition has no legal boundaries

The Egyptian area of Cairo‑Alexandria‑Suhag was the largest city cluster in Africa as of 2021. Considering the over 1,000 cities that are part of the cluster (cities with over ****** residents that are within 100 kilometers' distance, adding up to a population of over *** million), the area counted around ** million inhabitants. The clusters of Lagos‑Ibadan‑Cotonou and Onitsha‑Uyo‑Port Harcourt in Nigeria followed, accounting for approximately ** million and ** million residents, respectively.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

• Household
• Individual

Universe

18 of the 37 states in Nigeria were selected using procedures described in the methodology report

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

A. Sampling Frame The sampling frame was the 2006 National Population Census. For administrative purposes, Nigeria has 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. These states are grouped into six geopolitical zones - the North Central, North East, North West, South East, South South and South West. The states in turn are divided into 776 Local Governments. The demographic and political characteristics of the states vary considerably. For example, the number of component local government areas in the states ranges from 8 in Bayelsa State (in the South South) to 44 in Kano State (in the North West). Likewise state populations vary widely from 1.41 million in the Abuja Federal Capital Territory to 9.38 million in Kano State. The National Bureau of Statistics splits the country further into 23, 070 enumeration areas (EAs). While the enumeration areas are equally distributed across the local government areas, with each local government area having 30 enumeration areas, the differences in the number of local government areas across states implies that there are also huge differences in the number of enumeration areas across states. Appendix table 1 summarizes the population according to the 2006 population census (in absolute and proportionate numbers), number of local government areas, and number of enumeration areas in each state .

Given the above, a stratified random sampling technique was thought to be needed to select areas according to population and the expected prevalence of migrants. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) provided a randomly selected set of enumeration areas and households spread across all states in the Federation from the 2006 sampling frame. Every state in Nigeria has three senatorial zones (often referred to as North, Central and South or East, Central and West). The NBS sample enumeration areas were distributed such that within each state, local government areas from each senatorial zones were included in the sample, with Local Governments in each state nearly evenly distributed between rural and urban areas. In all, a total of 3188 enumeration areas were selected. These enumeration areas were unevenly spread across States; some states in the North West (Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa), and a few in the South South (Akwa Ibom and Delta) had over 100 enumeration areas selected while others such as Imo and Abia in the South East, and Borno, Gombe and Taraba in the North East, had as few as 20 enumeration areas selected. This selection partially reflected the relative population distribution and number of Local Government Areas in the component states. Annex Table B shows details of the states and geopolitical regions, their shares in population of the country, the number of Local Government Areas and enumeration areas in each state and the number of enumeration areas given in the NBS list that formed the frame for the study.

B. The Sample for the Migration Survey

a. Sample Selection of States, Local Governments and Enumeration Areas Originally, the intention was to have proportionate allocation across all states, using the population of each state in the 2006 Census to select the number of households to be included in the sample. But it was later recognized that this would not yield enough migrant households, particularly those with international migrants, especially as the total number of households that could likely be covered in the sample to was limited to 2000. Consequently, a disproportionate sampling approach was adopted, with the aim of oversampling areas of the country with more migrants. According to Bilsborrow (2006), this approach becomes necessary because migrants are rare populations for which a distinct disproportionate sampling procedure is needed to ensure they are adequately captured. Given the relative rareness of households with out-migrants to international destinations within the 10 year reference period (selected by the World Bank for all countries) prior to the planned survey, sampling methods appropriate for sampling rare elements were desirable, specifically, stratified sampling with two-phase sampling at the last stage.

Establishing the strata would require that there be previous work, say from the most recent Census, to determine migration incidence among the states. However, the needed census data could not be obtained from either the National Bureau of Statistics or the National Population Commission. Therefore, the stratification procedure had to rely on available literature, particularly Hernandez-Coss and Bun (2007), Agu (2009) and a few other recent, smaller studies on migration and remittances in Nigeria. Information from this literature was supplemented by expert judgement about migration from team members who had worked on economic surveys in Nigeria in the past. Information from the literature and the expert assessment indicated that migration from households is considerably higher in the South than in the North. Following this understanding, the states were formed into two strata- those with high and those with low incidence of migration. In all, 18 States (16 in the South and 2 in the North) were put into the high migration incidence stratum while 19 states (18 in the North and 1 in the South) were classified l into the low migration incidence stratum (column C of Appendix Table 1).

The Aggregate population of the 18 states in the high migration incidence stratum was 67.04 million, spread across 10,850 Enumeration areas. Thus, the mean population of an EA in the high migration stratum was 6179. In turn, the aggregate population of the 19 states in the low migration incidence stratum was 72.95 million spread across 12,110 EAs yielding a mean EA population of 6024. These numbers were close enough to assume the mean population of EAs was essentially the same. To oversample states in the high stratum, it was decided to select twice as high a proportion of the states as in the low stratum. To further concentrate the sample and make field work more efficient in being oriented to EAs more likely to have international migrants, we decided to select randomly twice as many LGAs in each state in the high stratum states as in the low stratum states.

Thus, 12 states were randomly selected with probabilities of selection proportionate to the population size of each state (so states with larger populations were accordingly more likely to fall in the sample) from the high stratum states. Then two LGAs were randomly selected from each sample state and 2 EAs per sample LGA (one urban, one rural) to yield a total of 12 x 2 x 2 or 48 EAs in the high stratum states. For the low stratum, 6 states were randomly selected. From each of these, 1 LGA was randomly picked and 2 EAs were selected per sample LGA to give a total of 6 x 1 x 2 or 12 EAs in the low stratum. This yielded a total of 60 EAs for both strata. Given the expected range of 2000 households to be sampled, approximately 67 households were to be sampled from each local government area or 34 households from each enumeration area.

So far, the discussion has assumed two groups of households - migrant and non-migrant households. However, the study was interested in not just lumping all migrants together, but rather in classifying migrants according to whether their destination was within or outside the country. Migrant households were thus subdivided into those with former household members who were international migrants and those with former household members who were internal migrants. Three strata of households were therefore required, namely:

1. Households with an international migrant: at least one person who was a member of the household since Jan. 1, 2000 left to live in an international destination and has remained abroad;
2. Households with an internal migrant: at least one person who was a member of the household since Jan. 1, 2000 left to live elsewhere in Nigeria (outside the sample LGA) and has not returned to the LGA; and
3. Households with no migrant: No member of the household has left to live elsewhere either within or outside the country since Jan. 1, 2000.

The selection of states to be included in the sample from both strata was based on Probabilities of Selection Proportional to (Estimated) Size or PPES. The population in each stratum was cumulated and systematic sampling was performed, with an interval of 12.16 million for the low stratum (72.95 million divided by 6 States), and 5.59 million for the high stratum (67.04 million divided by 12 States). This yields approximately double the rate of sampling in the high migration stratum, as earlier explained. Using a random start between 0 and 12.16, the following states were sampled in the low stratum: Niger, Bauchi, Yobe, Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara. In the high stratum, states sampled were Abia, Ebonyi, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Lagos, Ondo, Osun and Oyo. Given its large population size, Lagos fell into the sample twice. The final sample, with LGAs and EAs moving from North to South (i.e. from the low to the high stratum states) is presented in Table 1 below.

The sample was concentrated in the South since that is where it was expected that more households have international migrants. It was expected that the survey would still also be reasonably representative of the whole country and of both internal migrant and non-migrant households through weighting the data. To this effect, field teams were asked to keep careful track at all stages of the numbers of people and households listed compared to the number in the

This statistic shows the biggest cities in Nigeria in 1991. In 1991, approximately *** million people lived in Lagos, making it the biggest city in Nigeria. According to the Lagos Bureau of Statistics, the 2011 population of Lagos State was **** million.

Examinations of ‘peri-urban’ remain elusive and often neglected by urban planners. However, these transitional zones are constantly under pressure by increasing populations from inner cities and migrants from the surrounding rural areas. The result in most developing countries is uncontrolled or unplanned landscapes. Although urban growth is inevitable and land use changes are imminent as peri-urban expansions of cities, peri-urban areas are pivotal regarding the agricultural resources necessary to urban survival. Understanding the development patterns, emerging urban forms, and their influences on peri-urban areas require an understanding of development decisions. Such knowledge will help decision makers and urban managers develop appropriate policies to address growth in ‘edge’ cities. This study focuses on the organic growth of Ikorodu, a peri-urban municipality on the outskirts of Lagos that emerged from a sleepy farming community with a population less than 100,000 in 1975 to a vibrant city exceeding one million residents in 2015. The study employs a multi-temporal remote sensing and GIS analysis to detect the urban pattern and emergent form over a 40-year period from 1975 to 2015. An empirical analysis was performed using survey data on 300 homeowners in 61 communities to identify the influences of rapid growth and the responses of planners to the city’s growth

The Urban Heat Island (UHI) Effect can be simply defined as an effect that takes place in urbanized areas in which the urbanized area experiences higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas. With this higher temperature, comes an increase in heat-related health risks. There are two main types of UHIs: when an urban area experiences higher temperature during the night as compared to surrounding areas, or when an urban area experiences higher surface temperatures as compared to surrounding areas (US EPA, 2021). As we analyze UHI across the globe, both kinds of UHI will be examined and discussed.Seven major cities from around the world were chosen to be analyzed. The cities were chosen based on similar population sizes and have data pertaining to the fact that each city is a heat island. The cities chosen include New York City, New York; Paris, France; Lagos, Nigeria; Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

The metropolitan area of Lagos in Nigeria counted over ********** middle-class people as of 2018. This was the highest number in Africa. Addis Ababa in Ethiopia followed with *********** individuals belonging to the middle class. The middle-class population included people who had a disposable income of over ** percent of their salary, were employed, had a business activity, or were in education, and had at least a secondary school degree.

Average percent contribution and permutation importance of the variables used in the modeling of Aedes species distribution in Lagos State.

Nigeria's population structure reveals a youthful demographic, with those aged **** years comprising the largest age group compared to the total of those between the ages of 30 and 84 years. The majority of the young population are men. This demographic trend has significant implications for Nigeria's future, particularly in terms of economic development and social services. It has the potential to offer a large future workforce that could drive economic growth if it is adequately educated and employed. However, without sufficient investment in health, education, and job creation, this youth bulge could strain public resources and fuel unemployment and social unrest. Poverty challenges amid population growth Despite Nigeria's large youth population, the country faces substantial poverty challenges. This is largely due to its youth unemployment rate, which goes contrary to the expectation that the country’s large labor force would contribute to employment and the economic development of the nation. In 2022, an estimated **** million Nigerians lived in extreme poverty, defined as living on less than **** U.S. dollars a day. This number is expected to rise in the coming years, indicating a growing disparity between population growth and economic opportunities. The situation is particularly dire in rural areas, where **** million people live in extreme poverty compared to *** million in urban centers. Linguistic and ethnic diversity Nigeria's population is characterized by significant linguistic and ethnic diversity. Hausa is the most commonly spoken language at home, used by ** percent of the population, followed by Yoruba at ** percent and Igbo at ** percent. This linguistic variety reflects Nigeria's complex ethnic composition, with major groups including Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Fulani. English, the country's official language, serves as the primary language of instruction in schools, promoting literacy across diverse communities.

Abstract

The 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (2018 NDHS) was implemented by the National Population Commission (NPC). Data collection took place from 14 August to 29 December 2018. ICF provided technical assistance through The DHS Program, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and offers financial support and technical assistance for population and health surveys in countries worldwide. Other agencies and organisations that facilitated the successful implementation of the survey through technical or financial support were the Global Fund, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

SURVEY OBJECTIVES The primary objective of the 2018 NDHS is to provide up-to-date estimates of basic demographic and health indicators. Specifically, the NDHS collected information on fertility, awareness and use of family planning methods, breastfeeding practices, nutritional status of women and children, maternal and child health, adult and childhood mortality, women’s empowerment, domestic violence, female genital cutting, prevalence of malaria, awareness and behaviour regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), disability, and other health-related issues such as smoking.

The information collected through the 2018 NDHS is intended to assist policymakers and programme managers in evaluating and designing programmes and strategies for improving the health of the country’s population. The 2018 NDHS also provides indicators relevant to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Nigeria.

Geographic coverage

national coverage

Analysis unit

Households Women Men children

Universe

the survey covered all household members (permanent residents and visitor), all Women aged 15-49 years, all children 0-59 months and all men aged 15-59 years in one-third of households

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sampling frame used for the 2018 NDHS is the Population and Housing Census of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (NPHC), which was conducted in 2006 by the National Population Commission. Administratively, Nigeria is divided into states. Each state is subdivided into local government areas (LGAs), and each LGA is divided into wards. In addition to these administrative units, during the 2006 NPHC each locality was subdivided into convenient areas called census enumeration areas (EAs). The primary sampling unit (PSU), referred to as a cluster for the 2018 NDHS, is defined on the basis of EAs from the 2006 EA census frame. Although the 2006 NPHC did not provide the number of households and population for each EA, population estimates were published for 774 LGAs. A combination of information from cartographic material demarcating each EA and the LGA population estimates from the census was used to identify the list of EAs, estimate the number of households, and distinguish EAs as urban or rural for the survey sample frame. Before sample selection, all localities were classified separately into urban and rural areas based on predetermined minimum sizes of urban areas (cut-off points); consistent with the official definition in 2017, any locality with more than a minimum population size of 20,000 was classified as urban.

The sample for the 2018 NDHS was a stratified sample selected in two stages. Stratification was achieved by separating each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory into urban and rural areas. In total, 74 sampling strata were identified. Samples were selected independently in every stratum via a two-stage selection. Implicit stratifications were achieved at each of the lower administrative levels by sorting the sampling frame before sample selection according to administrative order and by using a probability proportional to size selection during the first sampling stage.

In the first stage, 1,400 EAs were selected with probability proportional to EA size. EA size was the number of households in the EA. A household listing operation was carried out in all selected EAs, and the resulting lists of households served as a sampling frame for the selection of households in the second stage. In the second stage’s selection, a fixed number of 30 households was selected in every cluster through equal probability systematic sampling, resulting in a total sample size of approximately 42,000 households. The household listing was carried out using tablets, and random selection of households was carried out through computer programming. The interviewers conducted interviews only in the pre-selected households. To prevent bias, no replacements and no changes of the pre-selected households were allowed in the implementing stages.

Due to the non-proportional allocation of the sample to the different states and the possible differences in response rates, sampling weights were calculated, added to the data file, and applied so that the results would be representative at the national level as well as the domain level. Because the 2018 NDHS sample was a two-stage stratified cluster sample selected from the sampling frame, sampling weights were calculated based on sampling probabilities separately for each sampling stage and for each cluster.

The survey was successfully carried out in 1,389 clusters after 11 clusters with deteriorating law-and-order situations during fieldwork were dropped. These areas were in Zamfara (4 clusters), Lagos (1 cluster), Katsina (2 clusters), Sokoto (3 clusters), and Borno (1 cluster). In the case of Borno, 11 of the 27 LGAs were dropped due to high insecurity, and therefore the results might not represent the entire state. Please refer to Appendix A in the final report for details.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

Four questionnaires were used for the 2018 NDHS: the Household Questionnaire, the Woman’s Questionnaire, the Man’s Questionnaire, and the Biomarker Questionnaire. The questionnaires, based on The DHS Program’s standard Demographic and Health Survey (DHS-7) questionnaires, were adapted to reflect the population and health issues relevant to Nigeria. Comments were solicited from various stakeholders representing government ministries and agencies, nongovernmental organisations, and international donors. In addition, information about the fieldworkers for the survey was collected through a self-administered Fieldworker Questionnaire.

The survey protocol was reviewed and approved by the National Health Research Ethics Committee of Nigeria (NHREC) and the ICF Institutional Review Board. After all questionnaires were finalised in English, they were translated into Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo. The 2018 NDHS used computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) for data collection.

The Household Questionnaire listed all members of and visitors to selected households. Basic demographic information was collected on each person listed, including age, sex, marital status, education, and relationship to the head of the household. For children under age 18, survival status of parents was determined. Data on age, sex, and marital status of household members were used to identify women and men who were eligible for individual interviews. The Household Questionnaire also collected information on characteristics of the household’s dwelling unit, such as source of drinking water; type of toilet facilities; materials used for flooring, external walls, and roofing; ownership of various durable goods; and ownership of mosquito nets. In addition, data were gathered on salt testing and disability.

The Woman’s Questionnaire was used to collect information from all eligible women age 15-49. These women were asked questions on the following topics: - Background characteristics (including age, education, and media exposure) - Birth history and child mortality - Knowledge, use, and source of family planning methods - Antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care - Vaccinations and childhood illnesses - Breastfeeding and infant feeding practices - Women’s minimum dietary diversity - Marriage and sexual activity - Fertility preferences (including desire for more children and ideal number of children) - Women’s work and husbands’ background characteristics - Knowledge, awareness, and behaviour regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour related to other health issues (e.g., smoking) - Female genital cutting - Fistula - Adult and maternal mortality - Domestic violence

The Man’s Questionnaire was administered to all men age 15-59 in the subsample of households selected for the men’s survey. The Man’s Questionnaire collected much of the same information as the Woman’s Questionnaire but was shorter because it did not contain a detailed reproductive history or questions on maternal and child health.

The Biomarker Questionnaire was used to record the results of anthropometry measurements and other biomarkers for women and children. This questionnaire was administered only to the subsample selected for the men’s survey. All children age 0-59 months and all women age 15-49 were eligible for height and weight measurements. Women age 15-49 were also eligible for haemoglobin testing. Children age 6-59 months were also eligible for haemoglobin testing, malaria testing, and genotype testing for sickle cell disease.

The purpose of the Fieldworker Questionnaire was to collect basic background information on the people who were collecting data in the field, including the team supervisor, field editor, interviewers, and the biomarker team