Poverty and living standards in North West Province, Sierra Leone: official figures
62.3% of people in the North West Province lived below the national poverty line (Le 3,921,000 a year per adult equivalent at 2018 prices, in old leones before the 2022 redenomination) in 2018, according to the Sierra Leone Integrated Household Survey; the poverty rate was 2nd lowest of the 5 regions (Sierra Leone: 56.8%).
How many people in the North West Province cannot afford enough food?
8.8% of people in the North West Province were in extreme poverty in 2018, meaning their total spending was below the cost of a basic food basket alone, 2nd lowest of the 5 regions (Sierra Leone: 12.9%).
Source: Statistics Sierra Leone (with the World Bank) · saved copyHow deep is poverty in the North West Province?
The poverty gap index for the North West Province was 17.6 in 2018, 2nd lowest of the 5 regions (Sierra Leone: 18.0). It is the average shortfall of spending below the poverty line, as a percentage of the line, across the whole population (people above the line count as zero), so it shows how deep poverty is as well as how widespread.
Source: Statistics Sierra Leone (with the World Bank) · saved copyHow wealthy are households in the North West Province?
16.4% of people in the North West Province belonged to the poorest fifth of Sierra Leone's households by wealth (assets and housing) in 2019, 2nd lowest of the 5 regions; inequality of wealth within the region, measured by the Gini coefficient, was 0.36 (Sierra Leone: 0.37).
Source: Statistics Sierra Leone and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copyHow common is domestic violence in the North West Province?
75.4% of ever-married women aged 15 to 49 in the North West Province had suffered physical, sexual or emotional violence from their current or most recent husband or partner, the highest of the 5 regions (Sierra Leone: 60.8%, 2019).
Source: Statistics Sierra Leone and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copyHow North West Province compares with other provinces
Population below the national poverty line (2018)
North West Province ranks 4 of 5, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Population below the national poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Province | 76.5% |
| 2 | Southern Province | 67.7% |
| 3 | Eastern Province | 64.1% |
| 4 | North West Province | 62.3% |
| 5 | Western Area | 23.3% |
Population in extreme poverty (2018)
North West Province ranks 4 of 5, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Population in extreme poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Province | 20.5% |
| 2 | Eastern Province | 17.9% |
| 3 | Southern Province | 16.5% |
| 4 | North West Province | 8.8% |
| 5 | Western Area | 2.6% |
More on North West Province: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · Sierra Leone
Sources
- Statistics Sierra Leone and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (with ICF, The DHS Program): Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey 2019, final report: tables by province (water, sanitation, wealth, schooling, fertility, child health, nutrition, HIV, partner violence), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c4e747e7cf70…)
- Statistics Sierra Leone (with the World Bank): Methodology for Consumption-Poverty Estimation, 2018, and Poverty Trends 2011-2018 (Tables 6 and 7: poverty and extreme poverty by region, SLIHS 2018), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6e8a6e91612c…)
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