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UN Report Says 98 Million Nigerians are Multidimensionally Poor
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says the number of Nigerians, who are multidimensionally poor has increased from 86 million to 98 million in the past decade up to 2017.
This is contained in a statement on Thursday by Mr Lucky Musonda, UNDP’s Communications Specialist, Head of Communication Unit.
Musonda stated that the figures are part of a recent Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report put together by UNDP.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Multidimensional poverty refers to various deprivations experienced by poor people in their daily lives – such as poor health, lack of education, inadequate living standards, disempowerment, poor quality of work, the threat of violence, and living in areas that are environmentally hazardous, among others.
According to him, the 2019 global MPI report reveals that in Nigeria the proportion of people who are multidimensionally poor has remained constant at just over 50 per cent over the past decade up to 2017.
“Important to note from the report is that when compared to the national poverty line which measure income over consumption, a larger proportion of Nigerians that is 51 per cent are multidimensionally poor than those that are income poor which constitute 46 per cent.
“For instance, in Nigeria, even though the national average shows that around 50 per cent of Nigerians are multidimensionally poor, state and local government levels will reveal a completely different scenario.
“This year’s MPI results show that of the 1.3 billion people who are multidimensionally poor, more than two-thirds of them which is 886 million people live in middle-income countries while 440 million live in low-income countries.
“In both groups, data showed that simple national averages can hide enormous inequality in patterns of poverty within countries,” he said.
The report added that the traditional concept of poverty was outdated, according to a new report released by UNDP and Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).
It stated that new data demonstrates more clearly than ever that labeling countries or even households as rich and poor was an oversimplification.
According to the report, findings from the 2019 global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) sheds light on disparities on how people experience poverty, revealing vast inequalities among countries and among the poor themselves.
Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, was quoted as saying: “To fight poverty, one needs to know where poor people live. They are not evenly spread across a country, not even within a household.
The report stated that MPI goes beyond income as the sole indicator for poverty, by exploring the ways in which people experience poverty in their health, education, and standard of living.
“There is also inequality among the poor. Findings of the 2019 global MPI also paint a detailed picture of the many differences on how and how deeply people experience poverty.
“Deprivations among the poor vary enormously, in general higher MPI values go hand in hand with greater variation in the intensity of poverty,” it said.
The report shows that children suffer poverty more intensely than adults and are more likely to be deprived in all 10 of the MPI indicators, lacking essentials such as clean water, sanitation, adequate nutrition or primary education.
It stated that worldwide, one in three children was multidimensionally poor, compared to one in six adults, adding that nearly half of the people living in multidimensional povert which is 663 million are children, with the youngest children bearing the greatest burden.
The report in a new data showed a positive trend.
“We looked at data for a group of 10 middle and low-income countries and we found encouraging news that 40 per cent were moving faster than the rest.
“Within these 10 countries, data showed that 270 million people moved out of multidimensional poverty from one survey to the next.
“This progress was largely driven by South Asia, in India there were 271 million people in poverty in 2016 than in 2006, while in Bangladesh the number dropped by 19 million between 2004 and 2014.
“In other countries there was less or no absolute reduction, with numbers of multidimensionally poor rising by 28 million across the three African countries considered.
“In part this was because of rapid population growth, which outstripped reductions in poverty, poverty rates as a percentage of the population declined in most of the countries” it said.
The 2019 global MPI paints a detailed picture of poverty for 101 countries and 1,119 subnational regions covering 76 per cent of the global population.
(NAN)
Disturbed by the increasing level of terrorism and banditry in the country, the Senate has declared that it will consider the amendments to the 1999 Constitution to provide for the establishment of State Police in the country this week.
In a statement on Monday, the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central, said that after it is considered by the Senate, it would then be transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for further legislation.
In the statement issued by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, the Leader of the Senate explained that all stakeholders across the federation “are on the same page with the National Assembly on the establishment of State Police.”
Bamidele, who explained that the National Assembly would isolate the aspect from the ongoing constitution amendment and pass it into law due to its national exigency, also revealed that President Bola Tinubu and all the state governors were on the same page with the National Assembly on the State Police.
He added that the legislative week, which begins on Tuesday, would be a crucial one for the Senate as the issue of state police would top their agenda.
Section 214 (1) of the 1999 Constitution says: “There shall be a Police Force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigeria Police Force.”
Bamidele said: “Our position is very clear on state police. We are standing with Nigerians on the issue of state police. All strata of the federation have made it clear that there cannot be a better time to establish a state police than now.
“That is where we stand. Where we are coming in is to now help translate this popular desire of the people into reality as elected representatives of the Nigerian people.
“We came to the conclusion that we are going to pass the constitutional amendment in this respect to make a provision for the State Police. If I can tell you as of today, that will come to fruition this very week because there is no need to allow any further delay
“There have been a series of meetings between the National Assembly. When I say the national assembly, I mean Chairman, Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Barau I. Jibrin and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, both of whom are representing the National Assembly.
“They had been in a series of meetings with the office of Attorney-General, Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tunji Disu and other stakeholders in the last one week and that is why I can sit here to tell you that we’re pursuing that this week.
“It is going to be the subject we will be dealing with this week. What we have resolved to do is to isolate it with the rest of the bills that we have proposed under constitutional amendment so that we can vote on this as soon as possible.
“The bill can as well be on its way to the 36 States’ Houses of Assembly as soon as possible because you know we will need two-thirds of the state assemblies to approve it before the president can assent to it.
“The president is also with us on this proposal. I am sure he cannot wait for the bill to come to him for assent. I am sure the majority of our governors, as we know, are in support of this bill. The state assemblies are also waiting for this bill to come. We will initiate the proposal for the creation of state police within the week.”
Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, had disclosed that President Tinubu would receive a comprehensive report on the proposed creation of state police as consultations on the constitutional framework for its establishment approached completion.
Abia State governor, Alex Otti, has announced plans to construct a FIFA-standard stadium in Aba with a seating capacity of approximately 35,000, in what is being described as one of the most significant sports infrastructure projects in the State’s development agenda.
The proposed stadium is designed to meet international football standards, making it suitable for hosting top-tier domestic league matches, continental competitions, and other global sporting events.
The facility is expected to feature modern pitch technology, upgraded spectator stands, advanced lighting systems for night games, VIP lounges, media centres, locker rooms, and safety and security installations that align with FIFA requirements.
The project is also expected to include auxiliary facilities such as training pitches, parking spaces, and support buildings that will enhance its overall functionality as a multi-use sports complex.
According to the governor’s vision, the stadium is not just a sports project but part of a broader economic revitalisation plan for Aba.
The city, already known as a major commercial hub in South-eastern Nigeria, is expected to benefit significantly from increased sporting activities, which will drive business for hotels, transport operators, food vendors, and local entrepreneurs.
The initiative is also positioned to strengthen grassroots football development and provide a modern home ground for local teams, especially Enyimba FC, one of Nigeria’s most successful football clubs.
The project is expected to be executed through a structured development approach that may involve partnerships aimed at ensuring timely delivery and high construction standards.
When completed, the stadium is projected to elevate Abia State’s profile in national and African football circles while creating new opportunities for youth engagement, talent development, and sports tourism.
Overall, the Aba stadium plan reflects a strategic push by the state government to combine sports, infrastructure, and economic development into a single long-term growth vision for Abia State.
Suspected gunmen have abducted the sister of a former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The family of former minister and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) confirmed the abduction, disclosing that Mrs. Olaide John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons were kidnapped by the gunmen on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.
According to a statement issued by Adelabu’s media aide, Femi Awogboro, the victims were kidnapped at about 7:30am while Mrs. John-Paul was taking her children to school.
Mrs. John-Paul, the youngest of five children of Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu, reportedly retired voluntarily from her career at First Bank Pension Custodian in 2025 before relocating to Ibadan with her children.
She was said to be making arrangements to join her husband, who had earlier relocated to the US.
The family expressed deep concern over the development but stated that security agencies had already commenced efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend those responsible.
“We are pleased to confirm that security operatives have swung into action and preliminary investigations have commenced in earnest,” the statement partly read.
While appealing for calm, the family urged members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified information that could undermine ongoing rescue operations.
“We are deeply distressed by this unfortunate incident, but remain hopeful that the victims will be rescued safely. We appeal to the public to remain calm, avoid speculation and support ongoing efforts with prayers,” the statement added.
The family also called on anyone with useful information that could aid the rescue operation to promptly share such intelligence with security agencies through the appropriate channels.
It assured that it would continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities and provide updates as investigations and rescue efforts progress.
