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Nigeria has been ranked 56th among the world’s 60 poorest countries by GDP per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP) in a 2026 ranking by Global Finance magazine. Nigeria recorded a projected GDP-PPP per capita of $9,532.92, falling 12 places from 44th in the 2025 ranking. African countries dominated the lower end of the table, with nine of the 10 poorest nations coming from the continent.
Burundi ranked as the world’s poorest country with a GDP-PPP per capita of $994.23, followed by the Central African Republic at $1,437.72 and South Sudan at $1,467.19. Other countries in the bottom 10 included Yemen, Mozambique, Malawi, Somalia, Liberia, Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Several other African countries, including Niger, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire, also featured among the 60 countries.
The ranking uses GDP per capita at PPP, which adjusts economic output for differences in the cost of living and purchasing power between countries. However, the measure does not directly represent individual income or wealth distribution. Nigeria’s position therefore reflects its relatively low economic output per person compared with other countries, despite being one of Africa’s largest economies.
