The United Nations has revealed that approximately 113 million Nigerians—representing 48.7 percent of the country’s population of over 200 million—are deprived of essential health services, quality education, and adequate living standards.
The latest data was revealed in the 2026 edition of the UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative annual report, released on Monday.
According to the report, the average poor Nigerian lacks 55 per cent of health, education and living standards, while 28. 7 per cent are “severely poor”.
On the published figure, the report noted that the gains of 2018 to 2021 have been reversed.
“Like for like, the share poor fell from 42.3% in 2013 to 33.0% in 2021, then rose to 38.7% in 2024. That is nearly 18 million more poor people: three-quarters from a higher rate, one quarter from population growth”.
Poverty Mainly In Rural And North
The report, however, noted that the poverty rate is highest in the Northern part of the country, as 68.9 per cent of rural Nigerians are poor against 24.8 per cent in towns, and severe poverty is five times higher in villages (45.1% against 9.3%).
“It is heaviest in the North West and North East”, the report noted.
Clean Cooking, Electricity Are Biggest Gaps
The report also added that clean cooking and electricity are the biggest poverty gaps, as 47.4 per cent of Nigerians are poor and lack clean cooking fuel, while 37.6 per cent are poor and lack electricity.
“These are gaps that policy knows how to close”, UN noted.
Global Poverty Index Hits 1.2 Billion In 16 Years
The global organisation noted the global poverty index has risen for the first time since its creation in 2010, bringing the number of people affected to 1.2 billion.
In the 2026 edition of their annual report, the research center counted 51.5 million more people living in “acute” poverty compared to the previous year.
UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo said the increase in poverty should be a “wake-up call for the world.”
“Behind these figures are 1.2 billion people facing hardships that reinforce one another: hunger, missed schooling and a lack of clean water or electricity. This is unacceptable,” he said in a press release.
More than half of those in acute poverty were children.
However, UNDP said a major factor in the recorded increase was population growth, and new data was only available for 13 of the 108 developing countries covered by the report.
While the total number of people in poverty has increased, the report provides a mixed picture. Some 33 nations have halved the percentage of their people living in poverty as defined by the index in the past 15 years.
Those included six countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Among the countries that have made the most rapid progress were countries in Asia — China and Vietnam — UNDP said.
