The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, has said Nigeria may have the world’s highest number of people living below the poverty threshold.
Mignot made the statement in Abuja during the 2026 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. He cited figures showing that 133 million Nigerians lived in multidimensional poverty in 2022, adding that estimates from different sources suggested the situation had since worsened.
The ambassador also disclosed that the European Union (EU) had committed nearly €45 million in humanitarian assistance to Nigeria in 2026. The funding is aimed particularly at supporting communities affected by conflict and other crises.
He said the EU was working with the Nigerian government, humanitarian organisations and local communities to link emergency relief with long-term development solutions.
Mignot acknowledged government efforts to expand social protection through initiatives such as the National Social Safety Net Programme and the Renewed Hope Social Protection Programme. Both are designed to provide support to vulnerable Nigerians.
He also highlighted an EU-backed programme operating in Abia, Benue, Oyo, Sokoto, Kebbi, Adamawa and Borno states. The initiative aims to strengthen social protection policies and improve assistance for poor households.
Speaking on the event’s theme, “United for Peace and Human Rights, Safe Homes for All,” Mignot stressed that lasting poverty reduction required peace, security, dignity and respect for human rights.
He urged stakeholders to treat poverty eradication in Nigeria as a continuous priority rather than an issue to address only on specific occasions.
“Humanitarian needs cannot wait, and poverty either,” he said.
His remarks highlighted the scale of Nigeria’s poverty challenge and the need to combine immediate humanitarian support with lasting measures to improve living conditions.
