Poverty and living standards in Ebonyi, Nigeria: official figures
78.0% of people in Ebonyi were multidimensionally poor in the 2022 Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index (survey 2021/22), about 3.66 million people. That rate is joint 9th highest of the 36 states and the FCT; the national rate was 63%.
How severe is poverty in Ebonyi?
Ebonyi's 3.66 million poor people are 2.8% of the 133 million multidimensionally poor people in Nigeria. On average a poor person in Ebonyi is deprived in 41.1% of the weighted indicators (the intensity of poverty), giving an MPI value of 0.320.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many children in Ebonyi live in poverty?
Children are hit harder: 80.9% of under-18s in Ebonyi are multidimensionally poor, against 75.4% of adults.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyWhat do poor households in Ebonyi go without?
The most common deprivations among poor people in Ebonyi are no improved toilet, cooking with wood, charcoal or dung and food insecurity: 74.4%, 72.6% and 66.7% of all residents are both poor and affected.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo poor families in Ebonyi have clean water and toilets?
29.7% of residents are poor and lack safe drinking water, 74.4% are poor and lack an improved toilet, and 72.6% are poor and cook with wood, charcoal or dung.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow Ebonyi compares with other states
Multidimensionally poor (share of people) (2021/22)
Ebonyi ranks 9 of 37, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Multidimensionally poor (share of people) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Yobe | 83.5% |
| 7 | Kebbi | 82.2% |
| 8 | Taraba | 79.4% |
| 9 | Ebonyi | 78.0% |
| 10 | Zamfara | 78.0% |
| 11 | Cross River | 75.4% |
| 12 | Benue | 75.0% |
More on Ebonyi: 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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