Extreme poverty remains a major challenge across parts of Africa, with new data showing that millions continue to live on less than three dollars a day. Recent figures from Visual Capitalist, citing World Bank data, highlight that several African countries are among the worst affected globally.
- Sub-Saharan Africa faces significant poverty rates due to reliance on agriculture, insufficient industrial growth, and limited access to education and healthcare.
- Countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, and Burundi exhibit some of the highest extreme poverty rates, exceeding 80% of their populations living below the poverty line.
- Despite growth in sectors like telecommunications and mining, resource disparities and governance issues have hindered equitable income distribution and social upliftment in African nations.
For context, extreme poverty refers to the share of people living on less than three dollars per day, adjusted for purchasing power parity.
According to the data, Africa accounts for 20 of the 30 countries with the highest levels of extreme poverty worldwide, underscoring ongoing challenges including slow industrial growth, weak infrastructure, and limited access to essential social services.
The Democratic Republic of Congo ranks highest on the continent, with 85.3 percent of its population living below the poverty line. Mozambique follows with 82.2 percent, while Malawi and Burundi record 75.4 percent and 74.2 percent respectively.
Poverty Concentration in Sub-Saharan Africa
Poverty remains heavily concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, where agriculture and informal trade continue to dominate local economies.
In many countries, the slow pace of industrial growth and limited access to modern services have constrained income opportunities and living standards.
Even in relatively diversified economies such as Kenya and Uganda, nearly half of the population still lives in extreme poverty.
The situation has been affected by inflationary pressures and ongoing protests in parts of Kenya, while institutional challenges, weak job creation, and limited access to education, healthcare, and infrastructure persist in Uganda.
Persistent Inequality Amid Growth
Although Zambia and Zimbabwe have recorded modest GDP growth in recent years, the benefits have not been evenly distributed across their populations.
In resource-rich nations such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, strong mining revenues have yet to deliver widespread economic improvement, with public investment constrained by governance issues and persistent infrastructure gaps.
The data reflects a persistent imbalance between economic growth and social welfare across the continent. While certain sectors, such as energy, telecommunications, and agriculture, have expanded, poverty levels remain high, particularly in rural areas where development has lagged behind.
As Africa continues to pursue its long-term development goals, the figures highlight the urgency of addressing inequality and improving access to essential services to ensure that economic progress benefits a broader share of the population.
