Nigeria is the 12th poorest country by gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in 2025 in the world based on data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to a report published by Visual Capitalist.A
Out of the total of 189 countries surveyed, Nigeria is placed at number 178 on the list while India is at number 50, with their large population reckoned as a factor.
The report shows Nigeria’s GDP per capita at $807, placing the country 12th from the bottom among the countries surveyed.
GDP per capita offers a quick litmus test of how wealth generated per person within a country. By dividing total economic output by population, it levels the playing field between nations of very different sizes.
South Sudan tops the list as the world’s poorest country with a GDP per capita of $251, followed by Yemen, Burundi, the Central African Republic and Malawi.
India also appears on the list, ranking as the 50th poorest country with a GDP per capita of $2,878, despite being the fourth-largest economy in the world by total GDP.
“More startlingly, India makes the list as well. It is the 50th poorest by GDP per capita at $2,878, a rare case of a global top five economy by GDP having low levels of individual productivity. India is the world’s 4th largest country by GDP.
“Nigeria is another less dramatic example of large economy whose population brings down its GDP per capita,” the report stated.
Despite being one of Africa’s largest economies by total GDP, Nigeria’s low per capita figure underscores the persistent economic hardship faced by a significant portion of the population.
“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,” Visual Capitalist said.
Other African countries such as Madagascar, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Niger were ranked among the poorest globally.
The report noted that there were no available data for Afghanistan, Eritrea, Lebanon, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Syria, and Palestine.
VANGUARD.
