The National Bureau of Statistics recently released data listing the 10 poorest states in Nigeria after a recent survey was carried out on the bureau’s website.

1. Sokoto

It is listed as the poorest state in Nigeria with a poverty rate of 81.2%. The state is known for its hostile climatic conditions with normal day temperature as high as 45 Degrees Celsius. Most parts of the state are rural areas and over eighty percent (80%) of the inhabitants of Sokoto practice one form of agriculture or another.

2. Katsina

This state in North central Nigeria has the highest poverty prevalence among all states in the region.

3. Adamawa

Created in 1991 from the extinct Gongola state, Adamawa has of late been terrorized by the Boko Haram terrorists, disrupting its economic development and growth.

4. Gombe

Another North eastern state which suffers sporadic attacks from terrorists.

5. Jigawa

 It is situated in the north-western part of the country. It is mostly populated by the Hausa/Fulani, who are spread throughout the state. It has a 74.1 percent poverty rate.

6. Plateau

It is the twelfth largest state of Nigeria, and is haunted by  terrorist attacks and tribal clashes from time to time, especially clashes between Fulani herdsmen and its inhabitants.

7. Ebonyi

It is the only south-eastern state among the top 10 poorest states.

8. Bauchi

In Hausa the word Bauchi means, the land of freedom and tourism. However, recent Boko Haram adventures in the area, though few, have driven tourists away from the area.

9. Kebbi

It is bordered by Sokoto State, Niger State, Dosso Region in the Republic of Niger and the nation of Benin. The recently concluded Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport (SABIA), stands out as one of Nigeria’s most sophisticated airports and is expected to boost the state’s economy.

10. Zamfara

The governor of Zamfara was blasted for the “alarming scope of economic dangers and its potential threat to the economic development of the state,” by the Zamfara Budget Working Group.
Niger is the state with the lowest poverty rate which is 33.8%. It is followed by Osun (37.9%) and Ondo (45.7%). Bayelsa (47%) and Lagos (48.6%) have less than 50% poverty rate.
The average poverty rate in the Northwest geopolitical zone is 71.4%, which remained the highest in the said area. It is followed by the Northeast region which has 69.1% and the North central region which has 60.7%.
Poverty is least dominant in the Southwest (49.8%), South-South (55.5%), and South-East regions (59.5%).