See how this great article is left to rot away. Nigeria help thyself!
@moderator, a beg front page.

Who says an average nigerian lives on $1 a day must be serious disturbed mentally. Course even the beggars on the street get to eat 3 sq meal per day is that not more than $1.

The western media (Europe and America) have suddenly become fixated with constantly reminding the rest of the world that majority of Nigerians live on less than $1 a day (N155). Bump into any western news report on Nigeria and whether it's good news or bad news, they never fail to mention the ‘fact’ that 'majority’ of Nigerians live on less than $1 a day (it used to be $2 but was recently reviewed downwards). I'm not angry with the ‘oyinbo’ media; it's the rest of us, especially the intellectual class that I’m angry with. Most of us simply agree with these distorted statistics. Nigeria has a lot of government funded and private research institutes and none have ever considered it necessary to research into these claims deliberately designed by the west to ridicule the black race - Yes I said it, my conspiracy theory begins here.

I am sorry, this shows extreme ignorance!

Who told you the statistics was derived by your "western media"? The last Poverty count by the National Bureau of Statistics (under the Presidency) put the rate at over 60%. So one will expect that you get a proper knowledge of how data is sourced before penning such a ridiculous article. The "western media" use data sources, perhaps you can also learn how to source data before penning such a ridiculous article.

Secondly you have not examined the methodology for data collection and processing but in an ignorant manner you have made reference to "nollywood" movies as to why it cannot be true.

Thirdly, I have seen people make reference to $1 or N155 per day as the basis of poverty. Fact is the study of poverty is more complex than just one figure.

We look at poverty in terms of vulnerability, poverty in terms of basic needs, capabilities, unjust deprivation. We look at poverty absolutely or relatively. People study poverty up to PhD level, do not stop there and you think one figure is enough to explain what poverty means?

This writeup is simply out of this world

Watin we do for dis oyinbo people self, boko haram today, egbesu boys tomorrow, when ordinary begger dey build his own house for naija, na him dem say we dey live with less than one dollar a day may god save us ooooo..

ballabriggs:

I am sorry, this shows extreme ignorance!

Who told you the statistics was derived by your "western media"? The last Poverty count by the National Bureau of Statistics (under the Presidency) put the rate at over 60%. So one will expect that you get a proper knowledge of how data is sourced before penning such a ridiculous article. The "western media" use data sources, perhaps you can also learn how to source data before penning such a ridiculous article.

Secondly you have not examined the methodology for data collection and processing but in an ignorant manner you have made reference to "nollywood" movies as to why it cannot be true.

Thirdly, I have seen people make reference to $1 or N155 per day as the basis of poverty. Fact is the study of poverty is more complex than just one figure.

We look at poverty in terms of vulnerability, poverty in terms of basic needs, capabilities, unjust deprivation. We look at poverty absolutely or relatively. People study poverty up to PhD level, do not stop there and you think one figure is enough to explain what poverty means?

First of all, the National Bureau of statistics never gave a dollar figure for average national earnings in Nigeria. They simply stated the percentage of those who lived below the poverty line by their calculations.

Two, you are guilty of not addressing the practical implications of the $1 a day claim by the World Bank as urged by the poster, instead seeking to confuse people by claiming ''earning $1 a day'' somehow translates to ''poverty in terms of basic needs, vulnerabilities''.

Address the points the poster raised or say nothing. EXAMPLE: If an average Nigerian village farmer has just for breakfast a bowl of akamu with 4 big balls of akara, is that not worth more than a dollar?

For lunch he has some smoked fish and roast yam with palm oil and oil bean (ugba).

Have you visited a Nigerian restaurant in New York or LA?

You cannot get those two basic meals I described for less than $50 in total.

I've not mentioned even mentioned dinner, or transport, or clothing, or his phone (yes, he has a phone. Phone penetration in Nigeria is now over 100 million people).

Now this is a POOR GEEZER.

A village farmer

The 'poorest of the poor' in Nigeria.

Can you truly and honestly tell yourself that this man is living on less than a dollar a day?

I mean, come on.

It's an outrage.

I think what they do with these calculations is they give a round figure of 'a dollar a day' to all those who live outside the 'formal economy' of bank accounts, salaries, registered companies, tax receipts etc etc.

But the informal economy of Nigeria is swimming in billions of dollars worth of business and assets. Completely unaccounted for by groups like the World Bank, and even to a large extent, by our own National Bureau of Statistics. Their statisticians no doubt trained in the western model.

So it's a real problem. We need to set the record straight.

Rossikk:
First of all, the National Bureau of statistics never gave a dollar figure for average national earnings in Nigeria. They simply stated the percentage of those who lived below the poverty line by their calculations.

Two, you are guilty of not addressing the practical implications of the $1 a day claim by the World Bank as urged by the poster, instead seeking to confuse people by claiming ''earning $1 a day'' somehow translates to ''poverty in terms of basic needs, vulnerabilities''.

Hold it there! We talk of the poverty head count a percentage of people living on US$1 PPP a day (the poverty line) called extreme poverty and $US2 PPP a day called poverty. It was a poverty headcount as used by the NBS.

You have mentioned akamu and akara in New York. Now the PPP U.S dollar is not the same thing as the US$ you change at Alhaji's BDC in yaba. The PPP standard denotes not what the US dollar can buy in the country concerned but what a US dollar would buy in the US in 1985 prices in some cases (as used by the World Bank World Development Report 2007). The value of a $1 US PPP is more than that N155 you all keep quoting.

I repeat, the study of poverty is very complex as it goes beyond what most of you understand. It will be good to read more about it instead of rubbishing Professionals who put their all in all to bring out these figures.

ballabriggs:

We talk of the poverty head count a percentage of people living on US$1 PPP a day (the poverty line) called extreme poverty and $US2 PPP a day called poverty. It was a poverty headcount as used by the NBS.

Even accounting for purchasing power parity, it is manifestly ABSURD to claim that 80% of Nigerians live on ''less than $1 a day'' or indeed, ''less than $2 a day''. Both are ABSURD and MANIFESTLY WRONG FIGURES. If anything PPP should drive the figures much higher than the nominal '1 dollar' figure.

You have mentioned akamu and akara.

Have you been in a Nigerian restaurant in the USA?

Now the PPP U.S dollar is not the same thing as the US$ you change at Alhaji's BDC in yaba. The PPP standard denotes not what the US dollar can buy in the country concerned but what a US dollar would buy in the US in 1985.

You actually think PPP is based on the value of a dollar in the US in 1985!!!

Somebody please hand me a tissue.

Rossikk:

Even accounting for purchasing power parity, it is manifestly ABSURD to claim that 80% of Nigerian live on ''less than $1 a day'' or indeed, ''less than $2 a day''. Both are ABSURD and MANIFESTLY WRONG FIGURES.



Have you been in a Nigerian restaurant in the USA?




You actually think PPP is based on the value of a dollar in the US in 1985!!!

Somebody please hand me a tissue.

You do not understand and its extremely difficult to explain a complex topic to someone who has limited knowledge of how the counts are derived.

Firstly the World Bank in setting the extreme poverty line placed it on $1 US at 1985 PPP prices. Such that $1 US in 1985 PPP is $1.08 in 1994 PPP and $1.45 in 2005 PPP. Today the figure has gone above this 1985 price in PPP terms.

So like I say let the writer get the knowledge first before ignorantly disputing figures computed by these guys. How absurd is it to link it to N155.

Those guys that computed those figures are not the problem, ignorance is the problem!

ballabriggs:

You do not understand and its extremely difficult to explain a complex topic to someone who has limited knowledge of how the counts are derived.

Firstly the World Bank in setting the extreme poverty line placed it on $1 US at 1985 PPP prices. Such that $1 US in 1985 PPP is $1.08 in 1994 PPP and $1.45 in 2005 PPP. Today the figure has gone above this 1985 price in PPP terms.

So like I say let the writer get the knowledge first before ignorantly disputing figures computed by these guys. How absurd is it to link it to N155.

Those guys that computed those figures are not the problem, ignorance is the problem!

YOU are wrong. PPP is not based on the value of the dollar in 1985.

ballabriggs:

I am sorry, this shows extreme ignorance!

Who told you the statistics was derived by your "western media"? The last Poverty count by the National Bureau of Statistics (under the Presidency) put the rate at over 60%. So one will expect that you get a proper knowledge of how data is sourced before penning such a ridiculous article. The "western media" use data sources, perhaps you can also learn how to source data before penning such a ridiculous article.

Secondly you have not examined the methodology for data collection and processing but in an ignorant manner you have made reference to "nollywood" movies as to why it cannot be true.

Thirdly, I have seen people make reference to $1 or N155 per day as the basis of poverty. Fact is the study of poverty is more complex than just one figure.

We look at poverty in terms of vulnerability, poverty in terms of basic needs, capabilities, unjust deprivation. We look at poverty absolutely or relatively. People study poverty up to PhD level, do not stop there and you think one figure is enough to explain what poverty means?

you just love hearing bad things about Nigeria so that u can blame someone *most likely GEJ* . Who da Bleep studied poverty in Nigeria? How many people did they interview? Where did they get their figures from? You don't live in Nigeria so chill and wait for home based Nigerians to school you. Who even lives on $1? A day? Is it Dele d mechanic dude in Ogbomosho dat charges nothing less than 3k or more before touching your car? Is it my barber dat collects 500 naira for every haircut and there will be so much queu in his saloon? Is it Anu my tailor that collects 2k for a shirt?do u even know what $1 is? SMH. E no even reach 200 naira mtn airtime .If we were so poor MTN Etisalat GLO and others would ve closed shop since because people living below $2 a day wouldn't have been able to partronise them...there is huge purchasing power in Nigeria bro. Forget all these bogus figures flying here and there . Most of them are put up by people trying to get aids and grants from foreign countries. They dont represent whats on ground here bro. LMAO @ 157naira a day . Can that even buy a plate of eba and egusi soup with no meat in Mama onome shop?

Something you should realize is that 'Humanitarianism' is, paradoxically, BIG BUSINESS for Americans and the west in general. They make a ton of money capitalizing on 3rd world poverty.
Think of all the organizations out there World Vision,Heifer Project,USAID to name a few. they have employees that have to be paid a salary.Many of them stay in the fanciest hotels when they visit Africa,move around in jet planes and fancy cars all in the name of "eliminating poverty in 3rd world countries"

stupid and ridiculous.
even many american churches and pastors are doing similar things. collecting offering money from naive white congregation in the name of "poor africans"
I stopped attending american churches for that reason alone. after many humiliating sermons and power point picure presentations of how africans are dying of starvation blah blah I figured I'd rather line some naija pastor's pocket and at least i'll still maintain my dignity.

ballabriggs:

Hold it there! We talk of the poverty head count a percentage of people living on US$1 PPP a day (the poverty line) called extreme poverty and $US2 PPP a day called poverty. It was a poverty headcount as used by the NBS.

You have mentioned akamu and akara in New York. Now the PPP U.S dollar is not the same thing as the US$ you change at Alhaji's BDC in yaba. The PPP standard denotes not what the US dollar can buy in the country concerned but what a US dollar would buy in the US in 1985 prices in some cases (as used by the World Bank World Development Report 2007). The value of a $1 US PPP is more than that N155 you all keep quoting.

I repeat, the study of poverty is very complex as it goes beyond what most of you understand. It will be good to read more about it instead of rubbishing Professionals who put their all in all to bring out these figures.

hey man i dont think you have witness the life of a poor man u just sit at the comfort of ur home and start spilling trash stats. You cant tell me that the poverty level in nigeria is so low to the extents we live below $1 per day. Cause i know even well that a begger in the street earn more than that a day not to talk of hairbarbers, shoe maker, mama akara, mechanics even agbero in the park and lot more.

ballabriggs:

You do not understand and its extremely difficult to explain a complex topic to someone who has limited knowledge of how the counts are derived.

Firstly the World Bank in setting the extreme poverty line placed it on $1 US at 1985 PPP prices. Such that $1 US in 1985 PPP is $1.08 in 1994 PPP and $1.45 in 2005 PPP. Today the figure has gone above this 1985 price in PPP terms.

So like I say let the writer get the knowledge first before ignorantly disputing figures computed by these guys. How absurd is it to link it to N155.

Those guys that computed those figures are not the problem, ignorance is the problem!

So why won't the educated Journalist say the dollar is based in 1985 values? Since they do not I believe the intent is to tell their audience (Americans and Europeans) that 80% of Nigerians can not afford a bottle of Coke!


It is a condescending statement and wrong on so many fronts. Poverty just like you have suggested can't be put down to one figure since for example, It is impossible to live on a N200 daily stipend in Lekki but not so in Kaura Namoda!

Why don't they quote poverty in terms of what they can see? Majority of Nigerians do not have access to portable water, electricity, housing etc. . .