INTERROGATING THE RELEVANCE OF THOMAS MALTHUS THEORY ON POPULATION AND THE CHALLENGES OF NIGERIA’S BOURGEONING POPULATION

Issues of population explosion has evoked several images characterized by emotional, value-laden and often paranoiac connotation that cannot be obviously ignored considering its threatening challenges. It is against the foregoing that this paper attempt to interrogate the relevance of Thomas Malthus theory on population and the challenges of the bourgeoning population explosion in Nigeria. The core objective of this paper is to investigate the relevance of the theory on Nigeria's population. Other objectives are to ascertain the effects of the population explosion on the Nigerian urban areas; food security, crimes and security and poverty. In terms of methodology, the paper relies on an explanatory design and some empirical data generated through secondary sources and official documents were examined. The data were analysed using a descriptive method of analysis.