The COVID-19 pandemic pushed an estimated 30 million more people worldwide below the $3-per-day extreme poverty line, about ₵37 a day at current rates in 2020, wiping out years of progress in reducing global poverty, the World Bank says.
Living in extreme poverty means struggling just to meet basic daily needs food, clean water, shelter, and healthcare. For millions, it is a daily fight for survival.
The situation is particularly severe in Africa. Across the continent, many households face chronic food shortages, limited electricity, unsafe drinking water, and poor sanitation.
These conditions make it almost impossible for families to improve their living standards or break the cycle of poverty.
Globally, nearly 740 million people still lack electricity (IEA et al. 2025). One-quarter of the population does not have safely managed drinking water, and more than two-fifths do not have access to safe sanitation, according to the World Bank.
Now, in 2025, governments and economies are pointing to recovery. Headlines boast rising GDP figures, growing markets, and investment inflows. But the question remains: how many of the people who were pushed below the $3-per-day threshold are truly out of poverty today? How many families are actually eating enough, sending their children to school, or living with some measure of security?
The gap is still huge. Meeting global development goals, including infrastructure, social services, and clean energy, requires trillions of dollars in additional investment every year.
Low-income countries face the biggest burden, needing funding equivalent to a large slice of their GDP to lift millions from extreme poverty.
Without sustained and coordinated investment, the setbacks from the pandemic could leave millions trapped in poverty for years. Africa, home to the largest share of the world’s extreme poor, remains particularly vulnerable. Economic growth alone is not enough. True recovery will only happen when the families living below the $3-per-day line see real, lasting change in their daily lives.
