Nigeria and several other African countries have featured prominently among the world’s 60 poorest countries in a 2026 ranking published by Global Finance magazine, based on GDP per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP).
Burundi ranked as the country with the lowest GDP per capita at $994.23, followed by the Central African Republic at $1,437.72 and South Sudan at $1,467.19.
GDP per capita at PPP adjusts economic output for differences in the cost of living and inflation across countries, providing a basis for comparing living standards.
Nine of the 10 countries at the bottom of the ranking are African, with Yemen the only non-African country in the group. The 10 lowest-ranked countries are Burundi, 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, down from 44th position in the 2025 ranking.
Niger ranked 11th at $2,108.46, followed by Sudan in 13th place at $2,427.43 and Burkina Faso in 16th at $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 at $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 at $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 at $5,440.63, while Cameroon occupied the 38th position with $5,782.69.
Kenya was ranked 44th with a GDP per capita of $7,590.60, while Zimbabwe came 46th at $7,985.23.
Côte d’Ivoire ranked 48th with $8,165.34, Ghana 51st with $8,613.25, Mauritania 52nd with $8,831.81 and Djibouti 55th with $9,435.70.
Angola ranked 59th with $10,274.90, while Laos occupied the 60th position with $10,379.98.
The ranking highlights the dominance of African countries among the countries with the lowest GDP per capita, reflecting persistent economic and development challenges across several parts of the continent.
Outside Africa, the countries included in the 60 were 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 figures also show notable changes from the previous ranking. Burundi moved from second place to first, while South Sudan dropped from first to third. The Democratic Republic of the Congo moved from seventh to 10th, while Nigeria fell from 44th to 56th.
Full List
- 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
