According to recent findings, the 10 poorest states in Nigeria are burdened with a debt totaling approximately N1.18tn.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) provided data on the poverty rates, while the Debt Management Office supplied the debt figures.

The NBS reported that 133 million Nigerians are living in multidimensional poverty, with 63% facing deprivation in areas such as healthcare, education, living standards, employment, and security.

The report highlighted Sokoto, Bayelsa, Gombe, Jigawa, and Plateau as the five poorest states in 2022, followed by Yobe, Kebbi, Taraba, Ebonyi, and Zamfara.

These states accounted for 33.08% of the total population of poor people in Nigeria, amounting to 43.99 million individuals.

The report revealed that 65% of the poor population resided in the northern region of the country.

Despite grappling with high poverty rates, these 10 states also faced significant local and foreign debts.

The debt data showed that Plateau, Bayelsa, and Gombe had the highest local debts, while Ebonyi, Taraba, and Kebbi had the lowest.

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In terms of foreign debts, Ebonyi, Taraba, and Kebbi ranked lowest, while Sokoto, Gombe, and Plateau held the highest debt levels.

It was observed that some of these states granted substantial pension benefits to former governors, adding to the financial strain.

Many of these states also struggled to pay salaries and pensions, further exacerbating the poverty situation.

Economists and experts have called for the implementation of policies and programs aimed at alleviating poverty and addressing the underlying issues contributing to the persistent poverty rates in Nigeria.

Despite the existence of initiatives like the Social Investment Programme, which impacted millions of people, the battle against poverty remains a pressing concern in the country.