Nigeria and several other African countries feature prominently among the world’s 60 poorest countries in a 2026 ranking by Global Finance magazine, based on GDP per capita at purchasing power parity.
Burundi ranked as the country with the lowest GDP per capita in the ranking, at $994.23, followed by the Central African Republic with $1,437.72 and South Sudan with $1,467.19.
The figures are based on GDP per capita at purchasing power parity, a measure that adjusts for differences in the cost of living and inflation across countries.
Nine of the 10 countries at the bottom of the ranking are in Africa, with Yemen the only non-African country among them.
The 10 lowest-ranked countries were Burundi, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Yemen, Mozambique, Malawi, Somalia, Liberia, Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Nigeria ranked 56th, with a GDP per capita of $9,532.92, compared with 44th position in the 2025 ranking.
Niger ranked 11th with $2,108.46, followed by Sudan at 13th with $2,427.43 and Burkina Faso at 16th with $3,060.34.
Lesotho ranked 17th with $3,211.83, while Chad and Guinea-Bissau occupied the 18th and 19th positions with $3,284.18 and $3,304.84 respectively.
Mali ranked 20th with $3,480.41, followed by Togo at 21st with $3,563.31, The Gambia at 22nd with $3,664.60 and Sierra Leone at 23rd with $3,709.84.
Uganda ranked 26th with $3,923.83, while Vanuatu, Comoros, Rwanda and Tanzania occupied the 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th positions respectively.
Zambia came 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 ranked 37th with $5,440.63, while Cameroon came 38th with $5,782.69.
Kenya was ranked 44th with a GDP per capita of $7,590.60, while Zimbabwe came 46th with $7,985.23.
Côte d’Ivoire ranked 48th with $8,165.34, Ghana came 51st with $8,613.25, Mauritania 52nd with $8,831.81 and Djibouti 55th with $9,435.70.
Angola occupied the 59th position with $10,274.90, while Laos ranked 60th with $10,379.98.
The ranking showed that African countries accounted for the majority of those at the bottom of the GDP-per-capita ranking, highlighting the economic challenges facing several countries on the continent.
Outside Africa, countries featured among the 60 included 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 figures also showed notable changes compared with the 2025 ranking. Burundi moved from second to first, while South Sudan dropped from first to third.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo moved from seventh to 10th, while Nigeria dropped from 44th to 56th.
See the full list of the poorest nations
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
Source: Punch
