POVERTY LEVEL IN NIGERIA, getting worse or better? By national standard, more than 82.9 million Nigerians are poor, according to Poverty and Inequality in Nigeria 2019 report, by National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, released on Monday.
The report showed 40.1 per cent of the total population are classified as poor. On an average, four out of 10 persons in Nigerian had per capital expenditures below N137,430.00 per year. Monthly income of an individual in his category is less than N11,500, and income per day N38.00.
Nigerian Sokoto, Taraba, Jigawa, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Yobe and Adamawa States, topped the poorest states in the country. Sokoto state had 87.73 per cent poverty head count rate. It is followed by Taraba 87.73 per cent; Jigawa 87.02 per cent, and Ebonyi with 79.76 per cent.
NBS report further stated that Lagos, Delta, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Edo and Anambra States, had the least poverty level. Lagos State has 4.50 per cent poverty head count rate, trailed by Delta State 6.02 per cent, followed by Osun State 8.52 per cent. Ogun was next with 9.32 per cent, Oyo State 9, Edo State 11.99 per cent, and Anambra 14.78 per cent.
