Nigeria has been ranked 56th among the world’s 60 lowest-ranked countries by GDP per capita at purchasing power parity, with a 2026 figure of $9,532.92 per person, according to Global Finance magazine.
The ranking places Nigeria among a group dominated by African economies, with nine of the 10 countries at the bottom of the table located on the continent.
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Burundi occupies the lowest position, followed by the Central African Republic and South Sudan.
The figures are based on GDP per capita measured at purchasing power parity, commonly known as GDP-PPP.
The measure adjusts economic output for differences in prices and the cost of living between countries, making it more useful for comparing relative purchasing power than nominal GDP per capita.
Nigeria’s position marks a notable change from the previous ranking. The country was placed 44th in the 2025 edition but moved down to 56th in the 2026 ranking, according to the figures published by Global Finance.
The ranking does not mean that Nigeria has the 56th-smallest economy in the world. Nigeria remains one of Africa’s largest economies by total economic output.
IMF-based 2026 projections put the country’s total GDP at about $2.42 trillion in PPP terms, making it Africa’s second-largest economy on that measure.
Rather, GDP per capita divides economic output among the population. The result can therefore tell a very different story from the size of an economy as a whole.
Africa dominates the bottom of the table
Burundi recorded the lowest GDP-PPP per capita among the countries assessed, at $994.23.
The Central African Republic followed at $1,437.72, while South Sudan recorded $1,467.19.
Yemen was the only non-African country in the bottom 10, with a GDP-PPP per capita of $1,590.19.
Mozambique ranked fifth at $1,688.91, followed by Malawi at $1,758.03, Somalia at $1,905.21, Liberia at $1,979.42, Madagascar at $2,030.36 and the Democratic Republic of the Congo at $2,032.68.
The concentration of African countries near the bottom reflects a combination of long-running structural problems, including conflict, weak institutions, limited infrastructure, low productivity, climate pressures and restricted access to capital.
Global Finance notes that poverty is rarely explained by a single factor. Historical exploitation, corruption, conflict, weak rule of law, climate conditions and poor access to education and investment can reinforce one another over time.
Nigeria ahead of several African economies
Nigeria’s $9,532.92 figure puts it above a number of countries on the continent.
Niger ranked 11th with $2,108.46, Sudan 13th with $2,427.43 and Burkina Faso 16th with $3,060.34.
Lesotho occupied 17th place at $3,211.83, while Chad and Guinea-Bissau ranked 18th and 19th respectively.
Mali was 20th at $3,480.41, followed by Togo at $3,563.31, The Gambia at $3,664.60 and Sierra Leone at $3,709.84.
Further up the table, Uganda recorded $3,923.83, Rwanda $4,190.43, Tanzania $4,354.57 and Zambia $4,380.77.
Ethiopia stood at $4,498.55, Guinea at $4,746.77 and Benin at $4,758.22.
Senegal recorded $5,440.63, while Cameroon had $5,782.69.
Kenya was placed 44th with $7,590.60, while Zimbabwe ranked 46th at $7,985.23.
Côte d’Ivoire recorded $8,165.34, Ghana $8,613.25 and Mauritania $8,831.81.
Djibouti, at $9,435.70, ranked immediately ahead of Nigeria.
Angola, at $10,274.90, was positioned above Nigeria, while Laos occupied the final position among the 60 countries at $10,379.98.
What the ranking actually tells us
The figures should be interpreted carefully.
GDP-PPP per capita is an economic indicator, not a direct measurement of what the average citizen has in their bank account or earns as disposable income.
It is possible for a country to have a relatively high GDP per capita while many households remain poor because national averages can conceal significant differences in income and wealth.
Similarly, a large population can significantly reduce GDP per capita even when a country has a substantial overall economy.
That distinction is particularly important for Nigeria, whose population is among the largest in the world and whose economy remains one of Africa’s biggest.
A separate 2026 IMF-based dataset puts Nigeria’s GDP-PPP per capita at $9,994, slightly higher than the $9,532.92 figure used by Global Finance.
The difference reflects the underlying source and methodology rather than necessarily a contradiction.
The IMF-based data also place Nigeria at about $9,087 for 2025, meaning the direction of the movement depends partly on which year’s estimates and revisions are being compared.
For that reason, the Global Finance ranking is best understood as one comparative snapshot of living standards and purchasing power rather than a definitive measure of poverty in Nigeria.
The full ranking
The 60 countries in the Global Finance ranking, from the lowest GDP-PPP per capita upwards, are:
Burundi — $994.23
Central African Republic — $1,437.72
South Sudan — $1,467.19
Yemen — $1,590.19
Mozambique — $1,688.91
Malawi — $1,758.03
Somalia — $1,905.21
Liberia — $1,979.42
Madagascar — $2,030.36
Democratic Republic of the Congo — $2,032.68
Niger — $2,108.46
Afghanistan — $2,304.07
Sudan — $2,427.43
Solomon Islands — $2,595.87
Haiti — $2,999.44
Burkina Faso — $3,060.34
Lesotho — $3,211.83
Chad — $3,284.18
Guinea-Bissau — $3,304.84
Mali — $3,480.41
Togo — $3,563.31
The Gambia — $3,664.60
Sierra Leone — $3,709.84
Kiribati — $3,755.66
Papua New Guinea — $3,813.37
Uganda — $3,923.83
Vanuatu — $3,938.10
Comoros — $4,031.17
Rwanda — $4,190.43
Tanzania — $4,354.57
Zambia — $4,380.77
Ethiopia — $4,498.55
Guinea — $4,746.77
Benin — $4,758.22
Myanmar — $5,047.32
Timor-Leste — $5,060.22
Senegal — $5,440.63
Cameroon — $5,782.69
Tajikistan — $6,167.47
Nepal — $6,181.13
São Tomé and Príncipe — $6,434.97
Republic of Congo — $6,522.84
Pakistan — $7,014.24
Kenya — $7,590.60
Honduras — $7,863.96
Zimbabwe — $7,985.23
Tonga — $8,044.12
Côte d’Ivoire — $8,165.34
Cambodia — $8,403.27
Samoa — $8,427.34
Ghana — $8,613.25
Mauritania — $8,831.81
Venezuela — $8,910.60
Kyrgyz Republic — $9,371.04
Djibouti — $9,435.70
Nigeria — $9,532.92
Nicaragua — $9,765.25
Bangladesh — $10,271.28
Angola — $10,274.90
Laos — $10,379.98
The broader picture is stark: Africa continues to account for the overwhelming majority of countries at the bottom of the global GDP-PPP per capita table.
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For Nigeria, the figures underline the difference between having one of the continent’s largest economies and ensuring that economic output translates into higher purchasing power and living standards for its large population.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
