Poverty and living standards in Cross River, Nigeria: official figures
75.4% of people in Cross River were multidimensionally poor in the 2022 Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index (survey 2021/22), about 3.44 million people. That rate is 11th highest of the 36 states and the FCT; the national rate was 63%.
How severe is poverty in Cross River?
Cross River's 3.44 million poor people are 2.6% of the 133 million multidimensionally poor people in Nigeria. On average a poor person in Cross River is deprived in 39.7% of the weighted indicators (the intensity of poverty), giving an MPI value of 0.299.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many children in Cross River live in poverty?
Children are hit harder: 77.1% of under-18s in Cross River are multidimensionally poor, against 74.2% of adults.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyWhat do poor households in Cross River go without?
The most common deprivations among poor people in Cross River are food insecurity, cooking with wood, charcoal or dung and no improved toilet: 70.6%, 65.7% and 64.9% of all residents are both poor and affected.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo poor families in Cross River have clean water and toilets?
47.5% of residents are poor and lack safe drinking water, 64.9% are poor and lack an improved toilet, and 65.7% are poor and cook with wood, charcoal or dung.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow does insecurity affect poor families in Cross River?
17.2% of people in Cross River 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 Cross River compares with other states
Multidimensionally poor (share of people) (2021/22)
Cross River ranks 11 of 37, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Multidimensionally poor (share of people) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Taraba | 79.4% |
| 9 | Ebonyi | 78.0% |
| 10 | Zamfara | 78.0% |
| 11 | Cross River | 75.4% |
| 12 | Benue | 75.0% |
| 13 | Bauchi | 73.9% |
| 14 | Kaduna | 73.9% |
More on Cross River: 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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