Nigeria’s failure against poverty

Nigeria’s poverty ranking belies the country’s enormous human and material resources. Given the pivotal role governments play in transforming nations, the country’s dismal record in the well-being of its citizens places the blame squarely on its political leadership.

In 2022, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), a government agency, reported that 63 per cent of Nigerians were multidimensionally poor. This measure goes beyond monetary deprivation to include educational disadvantages and inadequate access to basic infrastructure. In terms of monetary poverty, the World Bank estimated that, in 2025, approximately 69.6 per cent of Nigerians lived below the lower-middle-income poverty line of $4.20 per person per day.

On October 12, 2026, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced that Nigeria’s multidimensional poverty rate had risen to 38.7 per cent in 2024, from 33 per cent in 2021. Over that period, the number of Nigerians affected increased by 17.9 million to 90.1 million, according to the report.

Nigeria had previously attracted global attention for its poverty levels. In June 2018, the Brookings Institution, citing estimates from the World Poverty Clock, reported that Nigeria had overtaken India as the country with the largest number of people living in extreme poverty. At the time, approximately 87 million Nigerians were surviving on less than US$1.90 per person per day. Since then, the situation has deteriorated further, despite repeated assurances and proclamations by successive administrations.

These figures are reflected in the daily experiences of Nigerians, who encounter poverty everywhere, from major cities to rural communities. As the World Bank and other development agencies explain, multidimensional poverty goes beyond a lack of money. It captures deprivation in the basic necessities of life—essentials that citizens of many other countries take for granted. These include income and consumption, educational attainment, school enrolment, electricity, sanitation and access to safe drinking water.

In some Nigerian states, classrooms lack roofs, forcing children to learn in the open, with as many as six pupils sharing a single seat. Even those fortunate enough to attend such schools are disadvantaged by these conditions. Millions of other children are not so fortunate: they are excluded from the school system altogether, compounding the country’s educational crisis.

Despite variations in the figures reported, Nigeria remains among the countries with the highest numbers of out-of-school children. Whether the figure is 18.3 million, as cited by UNICEF and UNESCO, or eight million, as stated by the Minister of Education, the scale of the problem is alarming. The consequences extend beyond lost educational opportunities to include unemployment, social exclusion and increased vulnerability to banditry and other forms of criminality.

The lack of basic infrastructure further constrains Nigerians’ productivity. Inadequate electricity supply is a particularly glaring example. How much work can a welder accomplish in a day when electricity is unavailable for half the day or longer? How profitably can a restaurant serve its customers when it must rely on large generators running on diesel for several hours daily, at prevailing high prices?

Low productivity and a shortage of productive, well-paid employment condemn millions of Nigerians to poverty. Many people in the informal sector struggle merely to make ends meet, with little prospect of improving their living standards. Meanwhile, millions of young people enter the labour market every year, but the economy fails to generate enough productive and adequately remunerated jobs to absorb the expanding workforce.

Ironically, successive governments have borrowed heavily, ostensibly to bridge the country’s infrastructure and development gaps. Yet, much of this borrowing has failed to translate into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives. Mismanagement, waste and corruption have diverted resources from their intended purposes, leaving the people to bear the burden of debt without enjoying commensurate benefits. In effect, public funds that should be working for Nigerians are not delivering the results they should.

We believe Nigeria can develop an effective strategy to reduce and ultimately eradicate poverty. What is required is the political will to lead the process, backed by clear priorities, measurable objectives and sustained implementation. The government must establish achievable short-term goals alongside long-term targets that can sustain progress. State governors, in particular, must develop strategies tailored to the needs and economic realities of their respective states rather than resort to indiscriminate borrowing that fails to address the root causes of poverty.

Tackling poverty requires a fundamental improvement in national productivity. The government must invest in skills development, quality education, vocational training and the infrastructure businesses need to operate efficiently. Reliable electricity, functional transport networks and improved access to essential services would enable individuals and enterprises to produce more, create jobs and earn better incomes. Economic growth must translate into productive employment and improved living standards if it is to make a meaningful difference.

The Nigerian elite also has a responsibility to help change the situation. The wealthy must recognise that they live in a country where millions struggle to afford food, education, healthcare and other basic necessities. Their ostentatious lifestyles, characterised by long and intimidating motorcades, the brazen distribution of money by politicians and other public displays of wealth amid widespread hunger and deprivation, only deepen the sense of inequality and alienation.

While the political elite and their allies in the private sector enjoy comfort and luxury, the vast majority of citizens remain trapped in poverty, struggling to survive on whatever little they can earn. Such stark inequality is not merely a social concern; it also undermines national cohesion, public trust and the prospects for sustainable development.

Nigeria must therefore act urgently to reduce the number of people living in poverty. The government needs a practical, transparent and measurable approach, not policies that amount to throwing money at people without clear objectives or sustainable outcomes. Cash transfers may provide temporary relief to vulnerable households, but they cannot, on their own, eradicate poverty.

The lasting solution lies in empowering people to become productive and self-reliant. This requires equipping them with relevant skills, providing essential infrastructure, creating decent jobs and fostering an environment in which businesses can thrive. Nigerians will have a genuine opportunity to escape poverty when they can earn sustainable incomes, support their families and contribute meaningfully to the economy.

Ultimately, Nigeria cannot achieve lasting prosperity by distributing the proceeds of borrowing or relying on temporary relief measures. It must build an economy that creates wealth, expands opportunity and enables its citizens to share in national progress. The responsibility rests squarely on the government to provide the leadership, policies and enabling environment required to make this possible.