113 Million Nigerians Deprived of Health, Education

113 Million Nigerians Deprived of Health, Education and Living Standards – UN Report

A new UN report reveals 113 million Nigerians—48.7% of the population—are deprived of health, education, and living standards, with multidimensional poverty reversing earlier gains and concentrated in the north.

ValueDrive Post Editor Oct 12, 2026 2 min read

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Introduction

A new United Nations report has reignited global attention on Nigeria's multidimensional poverty crisis, revealing that 113 million citizens—nearly half the population—are deprived of essential health, education, and living standards.

What Happened

The findings come from the 2026 edition of the annual UNDP and Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative report, released this week. The data shows that after improvements between 2018 and 2021, the proportion of Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty rose to 38.7% in 2024, adding nearly 18 million people to the poor population. The report attributes the reversal to a combination of higher poverty rates and population growth.

Why This Matters

Poverty in Nigeria is deeply uneven. The northern regions and rural communities bear the heaviest burden, with 68.9% of rural residents classified as poor compared to 24.8% in urban areas. Severe poverty stands at 45.1% in villages versus just 9.3% in towns. Beyond income, the report highlights critical infrastructure gaps: 47.4% of poor Nigerians lack clean cooking fuel, and 37.6% lack electricity, gaps the UN says policy knows how to close.

Key Takeaways

113 million Nigerians, representing 48.7% of the over-200-million population, are multi-dimensionally poor.
Poverty rates have climbed back above 2013 levels, erasing earlier gains.
Rural and northern Nigeria face the steepest deprivation, with severe poverty five times higher in villages than towns.
Lack of clean cooking fuel and electricity are the largest specific poverty gaps identified by the report.
Globally, the acute poverty count rose to 1.2 billion, the first increase since the index began in 2010.

Conclusion

The latest UN data serves as a stark reminder that progress against poverty is not guaranteed. Without targeted policy intervention, the reversal of earlier gains risks deepening inequality and entrenching deprivation for millions of Nigerians. Development experts urge governments and partners to prioritize inclusive growth, infrastructure investment, and targeted social protection to reverse the trend.