The North, with an average poverty index of between 0.351 and 0.425 is leading other regions of the country, according to the 2022 Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) released in Maiduguri, Borno State.
However, the South, comprising 17 states, recorded average poverty index of 0.25.
Gombe and Yobe states in the North East recorded the highest poverty index of 0.351 to 0.5. In the North Central, only Plateau has poverty index of 0.5.
According to the MPI, the North West has the highest number of poor states, viz Sokoto, Kebbi and Jigawa with the highest poverty index of 0.5.
Analysis of the country’s poverty index in the South revealed that Bayelsa recorded the highest poverty index.
On the MPI Dashboard, the remaining 16 states in the South recorded an average poverty index of between 0.201 and 0.25.
The Dashboard added: “Out of the 17 states in the South, only Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo, Edo, Imo and Lagos recorded the lowest poverty index of 0.00-0.150,” noting that 7.1 million Nigerians may become poorer, as most of the families are to lose over N5,500 a month.
In the North, 10 states fell in the category of 0.251 and 0.350 index. They include Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Kano and Katsina.
In the South, Cross River, Ebonyi, A’Ibom and Ogun states recorded a poverty index of between 0.251 and 0.350.
