Nigerian Population Tops 140 Million

Nigeria’s population topped 140 million in the first census of the troubled West African nation in 15 years.

The new tally represents a 63 percent population increase since 1991, the National Population Commission reported.

Government officials have expressed fears that the results could trigger unrest in a country along racial and religious lines, the BBC reported.

The census was highly anticipated in the oil-rich, though populace-poor country, as states with greater populations are allocated more state funding.