Nigeria has dropped from 44th to 56th position among the world’s 60 poorest countries by GDP per capita at purchasing power parity (GDP-PPP), according to a 2026 ranking by Global Finance magazine.
The ranking places Nigeria’s GDP-PPP per capita at $9,532.92, reflecting the country’s position among nations with the lowest income levels when differences in the cost of living and inflation are taken into account.
Nigeria is among several African countries that dominate the bottom of the global ranking, with nine of the 10 countries recording the lowest GDP-PPP per capita located on the continent. Yemen is the only non-African country in the bottom 10.
Burundi ranked as the world’s poorest country on the list, 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.
Yemen ranked fourth with $1,590.19, while Mozambique, Malawi, Somalia, Liberia, Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo occupied the fifth to 10th positions respectively.
Among other African countries, Niger ranked 11th with $2,108.46, Sudan 13th with $2,427.43, Burkina Faso 16th with $3,060.34 and Lesotho 17th with $3,211.83.
Chad and Guinea-Bissau ranked 18th and 19th with $3,284.18 and $3,304.84 respectively, while Mali, Togo, The Gambia and Sierra Leone occupied the 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd positions.
Uganda ranked 26th with $3,923.83, followed by Vanuatu at 27th, Comoros at 28th, Rwanda at 29th and Tanzania at 30th.
Zambia came 31st with $4,380.77, Ethiopia 32nd with $4,498.55, Guinea 33rd with $4,746.77 and Benin 34th with $4,758.22.
Senegal ranked 37th with $5,440.63, Cameroon 38th with $5,782.69, while Kenya occupied 44th position with $7,590.60.
Zimbabwe ranked 46th with $7,985.23, Côte d’Ivoire 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’s 56th position was 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 figures highlight the continued economic challenges confronting several African countries, which account for the majority of nations at the bottom of the global GDP-per-capita ranking.
Outside Africa, countries featured among the 60 include Yemen, 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 2026 ranking also recorded notable changes from the previous year. Burundi moved from second position in 2025 to first, while South Sudan dropped from first to third.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo moved from seventh to 10th position, while Nigeria recorded one of the more significant changes, falling from 44th in the 2025 ranking to 56th in 2026.
Full List of the 60 Countries
1. Burundi — $994.23
2. Central African Republic — $1,437.72
3. South Sudan — $1,467.19
4. Yemen — $1,590.19
5. Mozambique — $1,688.91
6. Malawi — $1,758.03
7. Somalia — $1,905.21
8. Liberia — $1,979.42
9. Madagascar — $2,030.36
10. Democratic Republic of the Congo — $2,032.68
11. Niger — $2,108.46
12. Afghanistan — $2,304.07
13. Sudan — $2,427.43
14. Solomon Islands — $2,595.87
15. Haiti — $2,999.44
16. Burkina Faso — $3,060.34
17. Lesotho — $3,211.83
18. Chad — $3,284.18
19. Guinea-Bissau — $3,304.84
20. Mali — $3,480.41
21. Togo — $3,563.31
22. The Gambia — $3,664.60
23. Sierra Leone — $3,709.84
24. Kiribati — $3,755.66
25. Papua New Guinea — $3,813.37
26. Uganda — $3,923.83
27. Vanuatu — $3,938.10
28. Comoros — $4,031.17
29. Rwanda — $4,190.43
30. Tanzania — $4,354.57
31. Zambia — $4,380.77
32. Ethiopia — $4,498.55
33. Guinea — $4,746.77
34. Benin — $4,758.22
35. Myanmar — $5,047.32
36. Timor-Leste — $5,060.22
37. Senegal — $5,440.63
38. Cameroon — $5,782.69
39. Tajikistan — $6,167.47
40. Nepal — $6,181.13
41. São Tomé and Príncipe — $6,434.97
42. Republic of Congo — $6,522.84
43. Pakistan — $7,014.24
44. Kenya — $7,590.60
45. Honduras — $7,863.96
46. Zimbabwe — $7,985.23
47. Tonga — $8,044.12
48. Côte d’Ivoire — $8,165.34
49. Cambodia — $8,403.27
50. Samoa — $8,427.34
51. Ghana — $8,613.25
52. Mauritania — $8,831.81
53. Venezuela — $8,910.60
54. Kyrgyz Republic — $9,371.04
55. Djibouti — $9,435.70
56. Nigeria — $9,532.92
57. Nicaragua — $9,765.25
58. Bangladesh — $10,271.28
59. Angola — $10,274.90
60. Laos — $10,379.98
