Poverty and living standards in Bayelsa, Nigeria: official figures
88.5% of people in Bayelsa were multidimensionally poor in the 2022 Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index (survey 2021/22), about 2.61 million people. That rate is 2nd highest of the 36 states and the FCT; the national rate was 63%.
How severe is poverty in Bayelsa?
Bayelsa's 2.61 million poor people are 2.0% of the 133 million multidimensionally poor people in Nigeria. On average a poor person in Bayelsa is deprived in 45.3% of the weighted indicators (the intensity of poverty), giving an MPI value of 0.401.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many children in Bayelsa live in poverty?
Children are hit harder: 90.0% of under-18s in Bayelsa are multidimensionally poor, against 87.3% of adults.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyWhat do poor households in Bayelsa go without?
The most common deprivations among poor people in Bayelsa are food insecurity, no improved toilet and cooking with wood, charcoal or dung: 81.1%, 81.0% and 74.2% of all residents are both poor and affected.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo poor families in Bayelsa have clean water and toilets?
64.1% of residents are poor and lack safe drinking water, 81.0% are poor and lack an improved toilet, and 74.2% are poor and cook with wood, charcoal or dung.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow does insecurity affect poor families in Bayelsa?
53.5% of people in Bayelsa are both poor and live in a household that suffered a security shock such as theft, kidnapping or attack in the previous year.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow Bayelsa compares with other states
Multidimensionally poor (share of people) (2021/22)
Bayelsa ranks 2 of 37, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Multidimensionally poor (share of people) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sokoto | 90.5% |
| 2 | Bayelsa | 88.5% |
| 3 | Gombe | 86.2% |
| 4 | Jigawa | 84.3% |
| 5 | Plateau | 84.0% |
| 6 | Yobe | 83.5% |
| 7 | Kebbi | 82.2% |
More on Bayelsa: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · Nigeria
Sources
- National Bureau of Statistics: Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index (2022), Appendix D tables by state, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 26498590b192…)
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