ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria has been ranked the 12th poorest country in the world by gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, according to new data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) published by Visual Capitalist.
The report, released Tuesday, June 24, 2025, places Nigeria’s GDP per capita at $807, positioning it among the bottom 15 of the 50 countries surveyed.
Despite Nigeria being one of Africa’s largest economies in terms of overall GDP, the low per capita income highlights deep-seated economic inequality and widespread poverty affecting millions of citizens.
South Sudan topped the global list with the lowest GDP per capita at $251, followed by Yemen, Burundi, the Central African Republic, and Malawi.
Other African countries featured prominently among the poorest, including Madagascar, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, and Niger.
“Chronic conflict, fragile institutions, and limited industrial bases continue to suppress income growth in many of them, even as the global economy rebounds after the pandemic,” the Visual Capitalist report noted.
While Nigeria’s total GDP ranks among the highest in Africa, the per capita measurement reflects the persistent challenges of income disparity, unemployment, inflation, and poor infrastructure that plague the country’s economic development.
The report also highlighted Africa’s marginal presence in the global economy, despite its growing population.
“Africa in particular is heavily underrepresented on the world stage. It accounts for 19% of the global population and only 3% of the $113 trillion world economy,” Visual Capitalist stated.
Interestingly, India also appears on the list as the 50th poorest country with a GDP per capita of $2,878, despite being the fourth-largest economy in the world by overall GDP.
