Nigeria, Other African Countries Among World’s 60 Poorest Countries By GDP Per Capita

Nigeria has been ranked 56th among the world’s 60 poorest countries in the 2026 ranking released by Global Finance magazine, based on Gross Domestic Product(GDP) per capita at purchasing power parity.

The ranking placed Nigeria at $9,532.92 in GDP per capita, a significant drop from its 44th position in the 2025 ranking.

GDP per capita at purchasing power parity measures the average economic output per person while accounting for differences in the cost of living and inflation across countries.

African countries dominated the bottom of the ranking, with nine of the 10 countries with the lowest GDP per capita located on the continent. Yemen was the only non-African country among the bottom 10.

Burundi occupied the lowest position, with a GDP per capita of $994.23, followed by the Central African Republic at $1,437.72 and South Sudan at $1,467.19.

Yemen ranked fourth with $1,590.19, while Mozambique came fifth at $1,688.91. Malawi, Somalia, Liberia, Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo completed the bottom 10, with GDP per capita figures of $1,758.03, $1,905.21, $1,979.42, $2,030.36 and $2,032.68 respectively.

Niger ranked 11th with $2,108.46, while Sudan occupied the 13th position with $2,427.43. Burkina Faso was ranked 16th at $3,060.34, followed by Lesotho at 17th with $3,211.83.

Chad and Guinea-Bissau ranked 18th and 19th with $3,284.18 and $3,304.84 respectively, while Mali came 20th with $3,480.41.

Togo occupied the 21st position with $3,563.31, followed by The Gambia at 22nd with $3,664.60 and Sierra Leone at 23rd with $3,709.84.

Uganda was ranked 26th with $3,923.83, while Vanuatu, Comoros, Rwanda and Tanzania occupied the 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th positions respectively.

Zambia ranked 31st with $4,380.77, followed by Ethiopia at 32nd with $4,498.55, Guinea at 33rd with $4,746.77 and Benin at 34th with $4,758.22.

Senegal came 37th with $5,440.63, while Cameroon ranked 38th with $5,782.69.

Kenya occupied the 44th position with $7,590.60, while Zimbabwe ranked 46th with $7,985.23.

Côte d’Ivoire was ranked 48th with $8,165.34, Ghana 51st with $8,613.25, Mauritania 52nd with $8,831.81 and Djibouti 55th with $9,435.70.

Nigeria came next at 56th with $9,532.92, followed by Nicaragua at 57th with $9,765.25, Bangladesh at 58th with $10,271.28, Angola at 59th with $10,274.90 and Laos at 60th with $10,379.98.

The ranking also showed notable changes from the previous year. Burundi, which was ranked second in 2025, moved to the bottom position in 2026, while South Sudan slipped from first to third.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo also moved from seventh to 10th, while Nigeria recorded one of the more notable changes, falling from 44th position in 2025 to 56th in the latest ranking.

Beyond Africa, other countries among the 60 lowest-ranked economies included Afghanistan, Solomon Islands, Haiti, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Timor-Leste, Tajikistan, Nepal, Pakistan, Honduras, Tonga, Cambodia, Samoa, Venezuela, Kyrgyz Republic, Nicaragua, Bangladesh and Laos.

The figures highlight the continued concentration of low GDP-per-capita economies in Africa and the economic challenges confronting several countries on the continent.

Full list

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