Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 616 million multidimensionally poor people, representing 51.4% of its population and the highest poverty incidence of any world region, according to the 2026 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). South Asia follows with 393 million poor people.
The report notes that “over half of all poor people live in this single region – more than in all other world regions combined,” highlighting the scale of the challenge facing governments across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Of the 21 countries where more than half the population lives in multidimensional poverty, 18 are in Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 362.2 million people. Chad, the Central African Republic, Niger, Burundi and Guinea record the highest poverty incidence, with Chad topping the list at 84.2%.
Conditions are even more severe in some localities. In Chad’s Kanem region, poverty incidence reaches 99.3%. Of the 22 subnational regions worldwide where more than 90% of the population is multidimensionally poor, 21 are in Sub-Saharan Africa, including 13 in Chad alone.
Poor living conditions remain a major driver of deprivation across the region. Cooking fuel is the most prevalent deprivation globally, affecting more than one billion poor people, of whom 600 million live in Sub-Saharan Africa. The region also accounts for 81.2% of multidimensionally poor people without electricity and 70.7% of those without access to safe drinking water. It represents a further 56.1% of poor people living in households that have experienced the death of a child, equivalent to 81 million people.
Although multidimensional poverty declined between 2018 and 2021, the country recorded a sharp reversal in the subsequent period. Between 2021 and 2024, an additional 17.9 million Nigerians became multidimensionally poor, the largest increase recorded by any country. Afghanistan followed with 5.3 million.
Nigeria’s 2024 survey puts poverty incidence at 48.7%, equivalent to approximately 113.3 million people. The national figure, however, masks substantial regional disparities, with subnational poverty incidence ranging from 3.7% to 88.3%.
The report identifies Kebbi, Yobe and Sokoto among Nigeria’s poorest regions, although the factors driving deprivation differ. Nutrition and child mortality contribute more heavily to poverty in Yobe, while inadequate access to water and electricity weighs more heavily in Sokoto. These differences highlight the limitations of relying on national averages to guide poverty-reduction policies.
Ghana’s figures are considerably lower than those recorded in the region’s poorest countries, although millions remain affected. The country’s 2022 survey recorded a poverty incidence of 24.8%, representing approximately 8.2 million people. The report projects the number at 8.5 million in 2024.
The findings highlight the importance of addressing poverty beyond income levels and national averages. Identifying the specific deprivations affecting communities can help governments direct resources towards essential services and interventions that respond to local needs.
