Nigeria has officially overtaken India as the sole country with the highest number of poor people. The country has 87 million people living in abject poverty, I mean citizens living under 1.9$ per day.
The research, which was conducted by the World Poverty Clock and compiled by Brookings Institute, show that only a third of Nigerians can afford a decent meal and comfortable lifestyle. The report further projected an increase in the level of extreme poverty in the country.
The researchers note that 14 out of 18 countries where poverty is rising are in Africa, adding that if current rates persist, 90% of the world’s poorest will be living on the continent by 2030.
Bangladesh and Indonesia are the only other non-African nations to feature among the list of 10 worst affected countries, with an estimated 17 million and 14.2 million people living in extreme poverty, respectively.
Other nations in Africa to feature on the list of 10 worst affected countries, include the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 60 million people; Ethiopia with 23.9 million people; Tanzania with 19.9 million.
Mozambique, with 17.8 million people; Kenya, with 14.7 million people; and Uganda, with 14.2 million.
Nigeria is the most populous nation with a total of 190 million people.It’s also among oil-rich countries in the world.
