A poor neighbourhood in Nigeria
Eko Hot Blog reports that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says 133 million Nigerians are multidimensionally poor.
The number is contained in the bureau’s latest National Multidimensional Poverty Index Report released on Thursday.
According to the report, the 133 million poor Nigerians constitute 63 percent of the entire population.
It blamed the high poverty rate on a lack of access to health, education, and living standards, alongside unemployment and shocks.
The report also shows that three out of five Nigerians live in poverty.
The NBS noted that over half of the population who are multidimensionally poor cook with dung, wood, or charcoal, rather than cleaner energy.
“High deprivations are also apparent in sanitation, time to healthcare, food insecurity, and housing,” the report reads.
The NBS further disclosed that multidimensional poverty is higher in rural areas, where 72% of people are poor, compared to 42% of people in urban areas.
“Approximately 70% of Nigeria’s population live in rural areas, yet these areas are home to 80% of poor people; the intensity of rural poverty is also higher: 42% in rural areas compared to 37% in urban areas,” it said.
According to the NBS, 65 percent of poor people–86 million–live in the North, while 35%–47 million–live in the South.
The poverty index also linked multidimensional poverty to out-of-school children.
“In total, 29% of school-aged children are not attending school. This is closely linked to multidimensional poverty. 94% of all out-of-school children are poor. Thus 27% of all school-aged children are both poor and out of school,” the report reads.
The statistical office said the Nigeria MPI (2022) survey was conducted across the 109 senatorial districts, establishing a baseline for the local government area (LGA) survey due in 2023, and future two-yearly national surveys.
It added that the MPI offers a multivariate form of poverty assessment, identifying deprivations across health, education, living standards, work and shocks.
Multidimensional poverty encompasses deprivations experienced by poor people — such as poor health, lack of education, inadequate living standards, and living in environmentally hazardous areas, among others, according to Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.
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