According to a post by Elon Musk on X on Friday, July 31, 2026, the billionaire entrepreneur highlighted the widening demographic gap between Nigeria and the European Union, stating that Nigeria recorded about four million more births than the entire EU last year.
Musk’s remarks align with recent demographic estimates indicating that Nigeria recorded roughly 7.5 million births during the 2024–2025 period, compared with about 3.5 million births across the European Union.
“Nigeria alone had 4 million more births than the entire EU last year!” Musk wrote.
The figures underscore sharply contrasting fertility trends. Nigeria’s total fertility rate remains around 4.5 children per woman, among the highest in the world, while the EU’s fertility rate is estimated at approximately 1.34 children per woman, well below the 2.1 replacement level needed to maintain a stable population without immigration.
The demographic divide has attracted growing attention from economists and policymakers, with Nigeria’s expanding population seen as a potential driver of future labour force and consumer market growth, while the EU continues to face the challenges of an ageing population, declining birth rates and workforce shortages.
