133m Nigerians Are Poor, 86m in North, 47m in South, NBS Report
President Muhammadu Buhari
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says 133 million Nigerians are multidimensionally poor.
Multidimensional poverty encompasses deprivations experienced by poor people — such as poor health, lack of education, inadequate living standards, and living in environmentally hazardous areas, among others, according to Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.
The NBS said this on Thursday in its latest National Multidimensional Poverty Index Report.
According to the report, 63 percent of Nigerians are poor due to a lack of access to health, education, and living standards, alongside unemployment and shocks.
The report shows that three out of five Nigerians live in poverty.
The statistical office said the Nigeria MPI (2022) survey was conducted across the 109 senatorial districts, establishing a baseline for the local government area (LGA) survey due in 2023, and future two-yearly national surveys. It added that the MPI offers a multivariate form of poverty assessment, identifying deprivations across health, education, living standards, work and shocks.
In 2020, NBS reported that more than 80 million Nigerians live below the poverty line.
The report added that over half of the population who are multidimensionally poor cook with dung, wood or charcoal rather than clean energy.
“High deprivations are also apparent in sanitation, time to healthcare, food insecurity and housing,” the report reads.
“Multidimensional poverty is higher in rural areas, where 72 percent of people are poor, compared to 42 percent of people in urban areas.
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“Approximately 70 percent of Nigeria’s population live in rural areas, yet these areas are home to 80 percent of poor people; the intensity of rural poverty is also higher: 42 percent in rural areas compared to 37 percent in urban areas.”
Furthermore, the report said 65 percent of poor people — 86 million – live in the North, while 35 percent — nearly 47 million – live in the south.