ActionAid Nigeria has revealed that 86 million Nigerians, particularly in Sokoto, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Kebbi, Gombe, Yobe and states, are living in multidimensional poverty.
The Austerity Measures Poverty and Gender Inequality in Nigeria report also revealed that nearly 47 million Nigerians living in the South are poor.
This was revealed at the end of the austerity campaign launch with the theme “Public Discourse on Ending Poverty and Inequality in Nigeria,”
organised by ActionAid Nigeria in Abuja.
The report said multidimensional poverty is higher in rural areas, where 72 percent of people are considered poor.
The report also stated that approximately 70 percent of Nigeria’s population lives in rural areas compared to 72 percent of people in urban areas.
While speaking at the launch, the country director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu, said the underlying cause of poverty is rooted in the heavy burden of austerity measures imposed as part of broader macroeconomic policies.
He said that in communities across Nigeria where austerity measures have led to the withdrawal of social services, women step into the void, providing unpaid care work at the expense of their economic independence and well-being.
According to the Austerity report, Nigeria has more than 64% representation of women in senior positions, but women earn only 50% of the income earned by men.
“The barriers to women’s advancement are deeply entrenched, from discriminatory laws and practices to limited access to resources and opportunities. Despite efforts to close the gender gap, the lack of investment in women’s economic empowerment has only widened the disparities,” he stated.
He urged the government to prioritise public services and social welfare as an essential component of a just society. “We also call on Civil Society Organisations to mobilise, advocate for change and hold leaders accountable.”
Earlier, the minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, represented by the director of Macro-economic Analysis, Felix Okonkwo, said addressing poverty is essential for economic growth and preventing conflict.
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