‘86 million Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty’

The ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has said that not less than 86 million Nigerians are living in multidimensional poverty.

The organisation said this yesterday in Abuja at the end of its ‘Austerity campaign launch with the theme; Public Discourse on Ending Poverty and Inequality in Nigeria’.

Country Director of AAN, Mr Andrew Mamedu, speaking at the launch said the underlying cause of this poverty is rooted in the heavy burden of austerity measures, imposed as part of broader macroeconomic policies in the country.

The report said that multidimensional poverty is higher in the rural areas, where 72 percent of people are considered poor and also constitute approximately 70 percent of all Nigeria population who live in the rural areas compared to 72 percent of people in the urban areas.

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Mamedu said that in communities across Nigeria, where austerity measures have led to the withdrawal of social services, it is women who step into the void, providing unpaid care work at the expense of their economic independence and well-being.

“According to the austerity report, Nigeria has more than 64 percent or more representation of women in senior positions, but women earn only 50 percent of the income earned by men.

“The barriers to women’s advancement are deeply entrenched, from discriminatory laws and practices to limited access to resources and opportunities.

“Despite efforts to close the gender gap, the lack of investment in women’s economic empowerment has only widened the disparities,” Mamedu said.

Earlier, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, represented by the Director Macro Economy Analysis, Felix Okonkwo, said addressing poverty is essential, not only for economic growth, but also for preventing conflict, insecurity and mitigating the effects of climate change.