Global multidimensional poverty hits 1.2 billion, Nigeria records rise
The 2026 global Multidimensional Poverty Index shows the number of people living in multidimensional poverty rose by 51.5 million to 1.2 billion—the first increase since the index began in 2010. More than half of those affected, 617 million, are children, and 83% reside in rural areas. The report, released Monday by UNDP and Oxford’s OPHI, notes that Nigeria reversed earlier gains: after significant reductions in the 2010s, both the poverty rate and the number of people in multidimensional poverty have risen again in the 2020s. Earlier estimates put 133 million Nigerians (63% of the population) in multidimensional poverty in November 2022, while the World Bank reported the rate climbed from 56% in 2023 to 63% in 2025, equivalent to about 140 million people. The increase stems partly from population growth in countries lacking fresh survey data, combined with shifts in poverty incidence and demographic changes. UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo called the rise a wake‑up call, stressing that hunger, missed schooling and lack of clean water or electricity reinforce one another. He added that progress is possible when countries tackle these challenges together rather than in isolation.
What steps should Nigerians take—support rural livelihood programmes, push for better access to education and clean water, or explore income‑generating opportunities that reduce reliance on fragile agricultural earnings?