Nigeria Faces Record Surge in Multidimensional Poverty

The 2026 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) revealed that Nigeria recorded the highest increase in multidimensional poverty globally, with 17.9 million people becoming multidimensionally poor from 2021 to 2024. This rise reversed the previous decline in poverty observed between 2018 and 2021.

The MPI report indicated that Nigeria's multidimensional poverty rate increased from 33 percent in 2021 to 38.7 percent in 2024, with the number of affected individuals rising from 72.21 million to 90.07 million. The country’s MPI value also worsened, increasing from 0.175 to 0.208.

A separate estimate for 2024 suggested that 113.32 million Nigerians, or 48.7 percent of the population, live in multidimensional poverty. The report also noted that 28.7 percent of Nigerians experienced severe multidimensional poverty, while 18.1 percent were vulnerable to falling into poverty.

The findings underscore the ongoing challenges posed by rising living costs, food insecurity, and inadequate access to essential services.