6 Nigerians fall into poverty every minute, we’ve more poor people than China, India combined —Obi

Former Anambra State governor, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Vice presidential candidate during the last general election, Peter Obi has said that Nigeria currently has more people living in extreme poverty than China and India combined.

Obi, who also said that six people became poor in Nigeria every minute, regretted that the country “is now the third most insecure place to live on the surface of the earth.”

He stated this on Tuesday at The Platform, an annual conference organised by Covenant Christian Centre in Lagos.

Citing ‘Stress Index’ Obi claimed that “today, we are the most stressful country. If you read the stress index, they said we are the most stressful.”

He said, “Today, Nigeria is home to the highest number of poor people living in any nation on earth,” he said.

“If you look at the latest report of UNDP, it says Nigeria has moved from 86 million to 98 million persons living in extreme poverty. We are growing at five per cent annually. Every minute, six Nigerians fall into poverty.

“In 2012, India had 276 million people living in extreme poverty. Today, they have less than 76. Nigeria has more people living in extreme poverty than China and India combined.”

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He noted that Nigeria had the least score globally in terms of equality among citizens, adding that the most populous African nation “is now the third most insecure place to live on the surface of the earth. We are now behind Afghanistan and Syria, and with daily killings, banditry and kidnappings, it is being speculated that Nigeria will soon overtake them.”

He added, “Our under-employment and unemployment is one of the worst in the world. People will tell you it is about 25 per cent, it is actually over 30 per cent. And with over 22 million young people in their productive age doing nothing, it is very worrisome.

“If you come to inequality, Nigeria’s inequality today is the worst; 157/157. We are the worst if you look at the Oxfam report. In Nigeria, the richest on per cent control 85 per cent of the wealth. All other countries are working hard to lower this, in Nigeria, it is even worsening.”

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