Nigeria has been ranked the 12th poorest country in the world by gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in 2025.
This is according to new data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) published by Visual Capitalist. The report, released on Tuesday, shows Nigeria’s GDP per capita at $807, placing the country among the bottom 15 out of 50 nations surveyed.
South Sudan tops the list as the world’s poorest country with a GDP per capita of $251, followed by Yemen, Burundi, the Central African Republic and Malawi.
Despite being one of Africa’s largest economies by total GDP, Nigeria’s low per capita figure underscores the persistent economic hardship faced by a significant portion of the population.
“Chronic conflict, fragile institutions, and limited industrial bases continue to suppress income growth in many of them, even as the global economy rebounds after the pandemic,” Visual Capitalist said.
The report added that Africa is underrepresented on the global stage, noting that the continent accounts for 19 percent of the world’s population.
“Africa in particular, is heavily underrepresented on the world stage. It accounts for 19% of the global population and only 3% of the $113 trillion world economy,” Visual Capitalist added.
India also appears on the list, ranking as the 50th poorest country with a GDP per capita of $2,878, despite being the fourth-largest economy in the world by total GDP.
The report ranked other African countries such as Madagascar, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Niger among the poorest globally.
