The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Nigeria
Nigeria: The share and number of people living in extreme poverty was 41.8% in 2022. ▼ Falling
The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Nigeria, 1985–2022
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 41.8% for the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Nigeria peaked at 60.9% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 34.2%, in 2018.
That places Nigeria 11th out of 120 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 51.1% | — |
| 1992 | 55.2% | +8.0% |
| 1996 | 60.9% | +10.4% |
| 2003 | 51.1% | -16.1% |
| 2010 | 38.5% | -24.7% |
| 2012 | 37.4% | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 35.8% | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 34.2% | -4.4% |
| 2022 | 41.8% | +22.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 51.1% | 51.1% | 51.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 58.0% | 55.2% | 60.9% | 2 |
| 2000s | 51.1% | 51.1% | 51.1% | 1 |
| 2010s | 36.5% | 34.2% | 38.5% | 4 |
| 2020s | 41.8% | 41.8% | 41.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 8 Tanzania, United Republic of 51.3% compare
- 9 Kenya 45.5% compare
- 10 Burkina Faso 42.1% compare
- 12 Guinea-Bissau 39.9% compare
- 13 Ghana 39.0% compare
- 14 Ethiopia 38.6% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Nigeria
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 4.48 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 1,558 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 0.607 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 7.17 (2007)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 7.2% (2007)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2007)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Nigeria?
- The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Nigeria was 41.8% in 2022, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest the share and number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 60.9% in 1996.
- What is the lowest the share and number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.2% in 2018.
- How does Nigeria rank for the share and number of people living in extreme poverty?
- Nigeria ranks 11th out of 120 countries with data for 2022.
- Is the share and number of people living in extreme poverty rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of The share and number of people living in extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below $3 per day.