As of 2025, an estimated population of over ***** million in Nigeria lived in extreme poverty, with the poverty threshold at **** U.S. dollars a day. This stood as an increase from the headcount of about ***** million recorded for the previous year.

Actual value and historical data chart for Nigeria Poverty Headcount Ratio At National Poverty Line Percent Of Population

In 2023, nearly ** percent of the world population in extreme poverty lived in Nigeria, considering the poverty threshold at **** U.S. dollars a day. Within the studied timeframe, the share mainly rose. Overall, the number of people living in extreme poverty in Africa was estimated to reach *** million in 2025.

In 2022, an estimated population of 88.4 million people in Nigeria lived in extreme poverty. The number of men living on less than 1.90 U.S. dollars a day in the country reached around 44.7 million, while the count was at 43.7 million for women. Overall, 12.9 percent of the global population in extreme poverty were found in Nigeria as of 2022.

Yearly (annual) dataset of the Nigeria Poverty Rate, including historical data, latest releases, and long-term trends from 1985-12-31 to 2018-12-31. Available for free download in CSV format.

Nigeria NG: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: % of Population data was reported at 46.000 % in 2009. This records a decrease from the previous number of 48.400 % for 2003. Nigeria NG: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 47.200 % from Dec 2003 (Median) to 2009, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 48.400 % in 2003 and a record low of 46.000 % in 2009. Nigeria NG: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nigeria – Table NG.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. National poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty lines. National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys.; ; World Bank, Global Poverty Working Group. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines.; ; This series only includes estimates that to the best of our knowledge are reasonably comparable over time for a country. Due to differences in estimation methodologies and poverty lines, estimates should not be compared across countries.

This dataset focuses on the social protection policy responses to poverty in Nigeria. It provides comprehensive information on various aspects of living conditions, demographics, and socio-economic factors of 204 respondents from the Bwari, Kuje, and Gwagwalada Area Councils in Abuja, Nigeria. The data was collected and analysed using SPSS, and descriptive statistics were used to explore the variables of interest. The dataset has been extrapolated to Excel for easy accessibility. The dataset includes descriptive results on several key aspects. It covers the education level of the respondents, the distribution of household heads among them, the types of dwellings they live in, the health conditions within their households, access to medical care, accommodation types, and waste distribution. The dataset also provides key variables of insights into the poverty levels and perceptions among the respondents. The "MPI" (Multidimensional Poverty Index) measures multidimensional poverty, while "povertylevel" indicates the poverty level of the respondents. In addition to the key variables, the dataset includes additional rows that highlight different combinations of variables related to living conditions. These combinations include dwelling types, sources of tap water, sanitation facilities, lighting sources, access to radio, television, and telephone, as well as information regarding meal skipping, healthcare access, and employment status. The dataset also includes socio-demographic characteristics that were considered in the study. These characteristics include sex, age, education level, employment income, household head, type of dwelling, waste distribution, and source of energy.

Historical dataset showing Nigeria poverty rate by year from 1985 to 2018.

In 2025, nearly 11.7 percent of the world population in extreme poverty, with the poverty threshold at 2.15 U.S. dollars a day, lived in Nigeria. Moreover, the Democratic Republic of the Congo accounted for around 11.7 percent of the global population in extreme poverty. Other African nations with a large poor population were Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar. Poverty levels remain high despite the forecast decline Poverty is a widespread issue across Africa. Around 429 million people on the continent were living below the extreme poverty line of 2.15 U.S. dollars a day in 2024. Since the continent had approximately 1.4 billion inhabitants, roughly a third of Africa’s population was in extreme poverty that year. Mozambique, Malawi, Central African Republic, and Niger had Africa’s highest extreme poverty rates based on the 2.15 U.S. dollars per day extreme poverty indicator (updated from 1.90 U.S. dollars in September 2022). Although the levels of poverty on the continent are forecast to decrease in the coming years, Africa will remain the poorest region compared to the rest of the world. Prevalence of poverty and malnutrition across Africa Multiple factors are linked to increased poverty. Regions with critical situations of employment, education, health, nutrition, war, and conflict usually have larger poor populations. Consequently, poverty tends to be more prevalent in least-developed and developing countries worldwide. For similar reasons, rural households also face higher poverty levels. In 2024, the extreme poverty rate in Africa stood at around 45 percent among the rural population, compared to seven percent in urban areas. Together with poverty, malnutrition is also widespread in Africa. Limited access to food leads to low health conditions, increasing the poverty risk. At the same time, poverty can determine inadequate nutrition. Almost 38.3 percent of the global undernourished population lived in Africa in 2022.

Nigeria NG: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Rural: % of Rural Population data was reported at 52.800 % in 2009. This records a decrease from the previous number of 56.600 % for 2003. Nigeria NG: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Rural: % of Rural Population data is updated yearly, averaging 54.700 % from Dec 2003 (Median) to 2009, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 56.600 % in 2003 and a record low of 52.800 % in 2009. Nigeria NG: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Rural: % of Rural Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nigeria – Table NG.World Bank: Poverty. Rural poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the rural population living below the national poverty lines.; ; World Bank, Global Poverty Working Group. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines.; ; This series only includes estimates that to the best of our knowledge are reasonably comparable over time for a country. Due to differences in estimation methodologies and poverty lines, estimates should not be compared across countries.

42.5 (%) in 2012. Population below $1.90 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $1.90 a day at 2011 international prices.

As of 2019, the population mostly affected by poverty in Nigeria was those working exclusively in the agricultural sector. Households with a male household head were much more impacted than those with a female head. For instance, about 58 percent of people belonging to households with a male head working in the agriculture was living below the poverty line. According to national standards, an individual with less than 137.4 thousand Nigerian Naira (roughly 361 U.S. dollars) per year is considered poor. Nationwide, 40.1 percent of population lived in poverty.

Number of poor at $1.9 a day of Nigeria slumped by 12.19% from 89.4 million persons in 2009 to 78.5 million persons in 2018. Since the 5.43% surge in 2003, number of poor at $1.9 a day rose by 3.70% in 2018. Number of people, in millions, living on less than $1.90 a day at 2011 PPP is calculated by multiplying the poverty rate and the population. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.

In 2022, an estimated population of ** million people in Nigeria lived in extreme poverty, the majority in rural areas. The count of people living on less than **** U.S. dollars a day in rural regions reached **** million, while around *** million extremely poor people were located in urban areas. Overall, throughout the period examined, the poverty incidence remained above ** million in rural communities.

Nigeria NG: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data was reported at 43.000 % in 2009. This records an increase from the previous number of 40.100 % for 2003. Nigeria NG: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data is updated yearly, averaging 43.000 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2009, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 51.900 % in 1996 and a record low of 38.700 % in 1985. Nigeria NG: Gini Coefficient (GINI Index): World Bank Estimate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nigeria – Table NG.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

Nigeria NG: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $5.50 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data was reported at 92.100 % in 2009. This records a decrease from the previous number of 94.100 % for 2003. Nigeria NG: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $5.50 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 92.800 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2009, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 94.100 % in 2003 and a record low of 92.100 % in 2009. Nigeria NG: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $5.50 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nigeria – Table NG.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Poverty headcount ratio at $5.50 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $5.50 a day at 2011 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. The aggregated numbers for low- and middle-income countries correspond to the totals of 6 regions in PovcalNet, which include low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia). See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

12.5 (%) in 2018. Poverty gap at $1.90 a day (2011 PPP) is the mean shortfall in income or consumption from the poverty line $1.90 a day (counting the nonpoor as having zero shortfall), expressed as a percentage of the poverty line. This measure reflects the depth of poverty as well as its incidence. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.

78.5 (million persons) in 2018. Number of people, in millions, living on less than $1.90 a day at 2011 PPP is calculated by multiplying the poverty rate and the population. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.

As of 2019, the population mostly affected by poverty in Nigeria was those living in large household in rural areas. Households in rural areas were generally much more impacted than those living in urban areas. For instance, almost 80 percent of people living in households with at least 20 individuals in rural areas lived below the poverty line. According to national standards, an individual with less than 137.4 thousand Nigerian Naira (roughly 361 U.S. dollars) per year is considered poor. Nationwide, 40.1 percent of population lived in poverty.

Nigeria NG: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data was reported at 53.500 % in 2009. This stayed constant from the previous number of 53.500 % for 2003. Nigeria NG: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 53.500 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2009, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 63.500 % in 1996 and a record low of 53.300 % in 1985. Nigeria NG: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nigeria – Table NG.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Poverty headcount ratio at $1.90 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $1.90 a day at 2011 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. The aggregated numbers for low- and middle-income countries correspond to the totals of 6 regions in PovcalNet, which include low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia). See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.