Federal Government agencies, including the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have disclosed that over 130 million Nigerians, representing 63 per cent of the entire population, live below the poverty line.
The data contained in the NBS’s 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index Survey released, Thursday, in Abuja, said the number represents 63 per cent of the nation’s population.
The report added that the poverty index is mostly domiciled in rural areas, especially in the north with women and children being the most affected.
The survey was conducted by the NBS, the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).
The measure used to calculate the figure was based on Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) with five components of health, living standard, education, security, and unemployment.
According to the survey, over 50 per cent of children across the country are affected by poverty.
Remarking, Statistician-General of the Federation, Mr Adeyemi Adeniran, noted that 56,610 households were surveyed and areas such as health, education, living standards, food security, water reliability, underemployment, security shocks, and school attendance were considered.
Adeniran said while the multidimensional poverty index stood at 27 per cent in Ondo State, the figure is estimated at 90 per cent in Sokoto State.