The World Bank has said that more than a third of the world’s poorest people live in Nigeria, India and Democratic Republic of Congo, even as the COVID-19 pandemic pushes about 100 million people into extreme poverty. Those who live on less than $1.90 per day are categorised as being in extreme poverty. According to the World Bank: “Nigeria, India, and the Democratic Republic of Congo– three countries which we project are home to more than a third of the world’s poor—are predicted to have per capita growth rates in real GDP of –0.8 per cent, 2.1 per cent and 0.3 per cent respectively. This, the bank explained, would be due to the sluggish growth in the countries with the most poor. Earlier, the World Bank had predicted that sub-Saharan Africa might be the worst hit but noted that “the new GEP forecasts give a particularly sobering picture for India, which is home to many of the world’s poor.

Source: Nigerian Tribune June 10, 2020 20:13 UTC