The World Bank has said there is no reliable data with which to correctly measure the decline or increase in Nigeria’s poverty rate.

In a video press conference to mark the release of Africa’s Pulse, an analysis of issues shaping the continent’s economic future, the World Bank’s Chief Economist for the African region, Mr. Shanta Devarajan, said the poverty rate in the continent’s resource rich was reducing slower than in non-rich resource nations.
[b]
Answering a specific question on Nigeria’s poverty rate, Devarajan said the subject was very controversial and suggested that the country should invest more in the production of statistics that were reliable.

“We (World Bank) don’t know Nigeria’s poverty rate. We don’t know whether it is going up or coming down. There is a lot controversy surrounding it. There is need to invest in data,” he said.

The National Bureau of Statistics had in February released figures that showed that the nation’s poverty level was increasing. The report was mired in controversy as it was rejected by the Federal Government.

The Statistician-General of the Federation, Dr. Yemi Kale, had said, “It remains a paradox … that despite the fact that the Nigerian economy is growing, the proportion of Nigerians living in poverty is increasing every year.

“NBS estimates that this trend may have increased further in 2011 if the potential positive impacts of several anti-poverty and employment generation intervention programmes are not taken into account.”

According to him, the poverty rate in Nigeria may have risen to 71.5 per cent, 61.9 per cent, and 62.8 per cent using the relative, absolute and dollar-per-day measures, respectively, adding that the picture would become clearer when the Annual Socio-Economic Survey would be completed later in the year.[/b][b][/b]

Devarajan, however, said the continent needed to translate the high growth rate it was enjoying into poverty reduction, adding that job creation remained an important instrument for poverty reduction.

He said the continent had a large young population that could make it a powerhouse in the future, but regretted that with the slow rate of job creation, the young people might end up working in the informal sector as their parents.

In a statement issued at the end of the conference, the World Bank said Africa was expected to grow at 4.8 per cent for all of 2012.

Excluding South Africa, the continent’s largest economy, growth in sub-Saharan Africa was forecast to rise to six per cent

http://www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/no-reliable-data-on-nigerias-poverty-rate-world-bank/

The National Bureau of Statistics had in February released figures that showed that the nation’s poverty level was increasing. The report was mired in controversy as it was rejected by the Federal Government.

The Statistician-General of the Federation, Dr. Yemi Kale, had said, “It remains a paradox … that despite the fact that the Nigerian economy is growing, the proportion of Nigerians living in poverty is increasing every year.

Dr Yemi Kale. I bet he's an ACN sympathizer or even member.

There is no reliable data on anything in Nigeria.
This is a country where falsification of data is a way of life.If world bank are giving money to the poorest regions,the figure will be cooked to reflect high poverty rates in every region.If the poverty rate is something people life El-rufia would use such statistics to condemn and taunt that area,the figure is cooked up to reflect a very very low poverty rate.
So Nigeria is indeed a failed piece of crap.

And so what?

The problem of keeping a conscise data base remains Nigeria's biggest dilema. Theres no fool-proof statistics without a sound database. Isnt it shameful that most times we have to consult telecommunication companies for their database. Exercises such as National population census, voters registration are enough to build a strong database, but results of such exercises are mared with frudulent figures that they are imediately discarded.
How can u know poverty rate when u dont know employment rate? How can u know employment rate when u're stil batling with ghost workers?
Ironically, graduates of statistics are produced in large quantities yearly by the numerous high institutions here.
Pathetic!

Nothing about Nigeria is reliable anyways. Whatevs!

Without a Biometric and Statistical database, not even the angels in Heavenly Heaven can know the facts about Poverty Rate in any country. Obamacountry and allied organizations uses their frivolous figures to insult us or discourage FDIs at their will. Thank God for China, they are rushing in to have a stake in the next big thing.

Lmao @ no reliable statistics on Nigeria's poverty rate.

World bank is challenging the North's control over their territory, by their reguest of reliable stats. . . The North have been favoured by the lie our false poverty and population figure has help cemented over the decades.

Sincerely, its alarming..even amount of oil we drill-up a day we can't say not to talk off other base statistics SMH

^^ that's cos it favours some heartless few . . .

When Nigeria is still battling to get its right population figures?

sheyguy: World bank is challenging the North's control over their territory, by their reguest of reliable stats. . . The North have been favoured by the lie our false poverty and population figure has help cemented over the decades.

it will still favor them cos the entire niger and chad are in kano

sheyguy: ^^ that's cos it favours some heartless few . . .

then who is deceiving who?

okosodo: it will still favor them cos the entire niger and chad are in kano

what

Naija
Great country
STRonG Nation
I LOVE this COUNtry.... every fake news about naija can go to hell

Poverty has become synonymous with the name "Nigeria",whenever the outside world thinks of poverty Nigeria comes to mind and our fraudulent government is doing absolutely nothing to address the issue.
You don't need technology to know Nigeria's poverty rate,go to Ajegunle,Makoko,Ikorodu,Mushin,Okoko,Ajagbandi,Ijora, and few other slums in other states to see their living condition.

Who cares? What is even the essense of knowing the poverty rate of a country. Share money for us.. Abeg! All na wash...

A great percentage of Nigerians remain poor.

I certainly don't believe most live on less than a $1 a day tag. It's so corny.

Poverty rate? Nigeria don't even know how man letters r in d name nigeria muchless keeping statistics on poverty rate. We don't know d rate of anything in our own country. Make our leaders go siddon jare.

chucky234: Poverty has become synonymous with the name "Nigeria",whenever the outside world thinks of poverty Nigeria comes to mind and our fraudulent government is doing absolutely nothing to address the issue.
You don't need technology to know Nigeria's poverty rate,go to Ajegunle,Makoko,Ikorodu,Mushin,Okoko,Ajagbandi,Ijora, and few other slums in other states to see their living condition.

U forgot to say*to mention a few* cus almost every part in nigeria is a slum. Travel and see

BlackBaron: A great percentage of Nigerians remain poor.

I certainly don't believe most live on less than a $1 a day tag. It's so corny.

U no believe am abi...$1 is about #150, olboy most people dey go for one month dem no go see dat kain money for a single day. Some dey make #20,50,100,120 a day. That's still living under 1dollars a day

Lmao @ no reliable statistics on Nigeria's poverty rate.
There's "No Reliable Statistics On Why ... Rich men loot huge amount of money into foreign accounts while a lot of people still remains poor".Guess they are confused!

alajor:
U no believe am abi...$1 is about #150, olboy most people dey go for one month dem no go see dat kain money for a single day. Some dey make #20,50,100,120 a day. That's still living under 1dollars a day

This is the wrongest thing I have heard this year. So wrong and so senseless. How will someone same MOST people in nigeria make N20, N50, N100 a day. Bros wake up. Even people that pack shi.t make more than the National minimum wage monthly. What am I saying sef? The hagard looking guy who came to clear our suckaway collected 10k and finised in 5hours and said he was going for another job. That's 20k/per day. MTN or Zenith Bank can't pay you that. Not even NNPC. Go to the rural areas, they may not be rich but they have land and excess food to eat. I have said it at least twice this year, that the 70% of Nigerians live in poverty is a lie from the pit of hell. Guy, people spend money in this country all over. Now I have confirmation since even the world bank claims they have not stats.

alajor:
U forgot to say*to mention a few* cus almost every part in nigeria is a slum. Travel and see

Thank you my brother

okosodo: it will still favor them cos the entire niger and chad are in kano

Even at that i they can't have those figure in Kano and other northern states.

BlackBaron: A great percentage of Nigerians remain poor.

I certainly don't believe most live on less than a $1 a day tag. It's so corny.

the 'one dollar a day' should not be used as a measure to know how well a person is living. In most part of nigeria, and i mean most, one dollar can buy you three square meal. Go to benue, zaria, and especially the rural areas of the country to verify for you self. Which means that the man in the village though spends less, lives better that people in slum in cities.

semid4lyfe: Hmmm. . . I guess this will resuscitate the "70% of Nigerians live on less than a dollar" debate

Watching from the sidelines

I have always said the 80% living on $2 per day stuff is a hoax. The average artisan in Lagos makes more than 1k every day. That's around $8. The average okada man in Lagos goes home with between 4k and 5k every day. Figures may vary from state to state but it isn't much different. The average vulcanizer or welder can make as much as 4k to 6k daily! You need to see these guys where they eat. The poor peeps are those in rural villages but they have enough food. They just don't have a lot of cash. They actually live better than most folks in the cities and live longer too.

That $1 per day crap na just armchair statistics.

toluxa1:

This is the wrongest thing I have heard this year. So wrong and so senseless. How will someone same MOST people in nigeria make N20, N50, N100 a day. Bros wake up. Even people that pack shi.t make more than the National minimum wage monthly. What am I saying sef? The hagard looking guy who came to clear our suckaway collected 10k and finised in 5hours and said he was going for another job. That's 20k/per day. MTN or Zenith Bank can't pay you that. Not even NNPC. Go to the rural areas, they may not be rich but they have land and excess food to eat. I have said it at least twice this year, that the 70% of Nigerians live in poverty is a lie from the pit of hell. Guy, people spend money in this country all over. Now I have confirmation since even the world bank claims they have not stats.

one hundred percent on point. If to say i get gold medal here, i for give you.

toluxa1:

This is the wrongest thing I have heard this year. So wrong and so senseless. How will someone same MOST people in nigeria make N20, N50, N100 a day. Bros wake up. Even people that pack shi.t make more than the National minimum wage monthly. What am I saying sef? The hagard looking guy who came to clear our suckaway collected 10k and finised in 5hours and said he was going for another job. That's 20k/per day. MTN or Zenith Bank can't pay you that. Not even NNPC. Go to the rural areas, they may not be rich but they have land and excess food to eat. I have said it at least twice this year, that the 70% of Nigerians live in poverty is a lie from the pit of hell. Guy, people spend money in this country all over. Now I have confirmation since even the world bank claims they have not stats.

the statistic given is not limited, as you seem to imply, to only working Nigerians - or those that can work.

The millions of jobless youths roaming the streets; the zillions of northern almajiris moving from house to house with their characteristic bowl looking for food, those in the rural areas with battalion of children to fend for, are all part of the statistics. . .abi them no be Nigerians?

A demographic breakdown perhaps will give a clearer picture.

I do agree however, that the 70% claim seems overestimated. lets face it, 150/day is roughly 4,500/month and yes it is seems inconceivable that any working Nigerian could be earning such ridiculously low amount.

Then again, like I mentioned above, its not only about working Nigerians, so I won't be surprised if the actual figure is not too far off.