Poverty and living standards in Imo, Nigeria: official figures
40.7% of people in Imo were multidimensionally poor in the 2022 Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index (survey 2021/22), about 1.80 million people. That rate is joint 7th lowest of the 36 states and the FCT; the national rate was 63%.
How severe is poverty in Imo?
Imo's 1.80 million poor people are 1.4% of the 133 million multidimensionally poor people in Nigeria. On average a poor person in Imo is deprived in 35.0% of the weighted indicators (the intensity of poverty), giving an MPI value of 0.142.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many children in Imo live in poverty?
Children are hit harder: 44.2% of under-18s in Imo are multidimensionally poor, against 38.6% of adults.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyWhat do poor households in Imo go without?
The most common deprivations among poor people in Imo are food insecurity, cooking with wood, charcoal or dung and a health facility more than 30 minutes away: 37.9%, 37.3% and 29.4% of all residents are both poor and affected.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo poor families in Imo have clean water and toilets?
8.5% of residents are poor and lack safe drinking water, 17.0% are poor and lack an improved toilet, and 37.3% are poor and cook with wood, charcoal or dung.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow Imo compares with other states
Multidimensionally poor (share of people) (2021/22)
Imo ranks 30 of 37, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Multidimensionally poor (share of people) |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Kwara | 48.3% |
| 28 | Federal Capital Territory | 48.3% |
| 29 | Delta | 47.6% |
| 30 | Imo | 40.7% |
| 31 | Osun | 40.7% |
| 32 | Ekiti | 36.0% |
| 33 | Edo | 35.4% |
More on Imo: 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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