Global multidimensional poverty rises for first time since 2010

Overview

Updated Yesterday

For the first time since the index launched in 2010, the number of people living in multidimensional poverty has risen. The 2026 update of the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) counts 1.2 billion people as poor, 51.5 million more than the previous update.

The rise breaks a 15-year trend of steady decline. Population growth accounts for 15.8 million of the increase; the rest reflects genuine reversals, most notably in Nigeria, where 17.9 million people fell into poverty between 2021 and 2024 after a decade of progress.

Why it matters

If the reversal holds, the UN's 2030 goal of halving poverty in all its forms slips further out of reach for more than a billion people.

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Key Indicators

1.2 billion

People in multidimensional poverty

Deprived in at least one-third of the MPI's ten weighted indicators across health, education, and living standards.

51.5 million

Increase from prior update

First rise since the index launched in 2010; 15.8 million from population growth alone.

18.9%

Share of population in poverty

Of the 6.3 billion people in the 108 countries covered by the 2026 update.

534 million

Severely poor

Deprived in half or more of the MPI's weighted indicators, 44.6% of all poor people.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Ever wondered what historical figures would say about today's headlines?

People Involved

Achim Steiner

Administrator, United Nations Development Programme

Leading UNDP's response to the poverty reversal

Sabina Alkire

Director, Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative

Co-developer of the global MPI

Organizations Involved

UN Development Programme (UNDP)

UN Agency

Co-publisher of the global MPI

UN agency that publishes the global MPI with OPHI.

Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative

Research Center

Co-developer of the global MPI

Oxford research center that co-develops the global MPI.

Timeline

2010 October 2026

5 events Latest: Yesterday

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October 2026
First global rise since 2010
Latest Publication

The 2026 MPI update counts 1.2 billion people in poverty, up 51.5 million from the prior update.
Yesterday
2024
Nigeria's progress reverses
Data

17.9 million Nigerians become multidimensionally poor between 2021 and 2024, reversing a decade of gains.
2024
2022
Eswatini cuts poverty sharply
Data

Poverty rate falls from 38.7% to 8.0% over 15 years, among the strongest reductions recorded.
2022
2014
China halves MPI in four years
Data

China's poverty rate falls from 9.5% to 4.2% between 2010 and 2014, the fastest reduction recorded.
2014
2010
Global MPI launched
Publication

UNDP and OPHI publish the first global Multidimensional Poverty Index, measuring poverty beyond income.
2010

Scenarios

Global poverty count rises again in 2027

Likely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: UNDP and OPHI report authors

Population growth in the 95 countries without new surveys adds roughly 16 million poor people per year even before accounting for new reversals. If Nigeria's deterioration continues and no major country accelerates progress, the next update will show the count climbing further.

Poverty reduction resumes

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: UNDP, which notes 33 of 89 countries with trend data halved their MPI in under 15 years

Egypt, Nepal, and Tajikistan cut both poverty rates and headcounts in their latest surveys. If more countries follow and Nigeria stabilizes, the count could fall despite population growth.

Nigeria's reversal deepens

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: The 2026 report, which flags Nigeria as the largest single contributor to the global increase

Nigeria added 17.9 million poor people between 2021 and 2024 after reducing poverty through the 2010s. A further deterioration in its next survey would cement the reversal and keep pushing the global count up.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2020

COVID-19 extreme poverty surge (2020)

The World Bank estimated the pandemic pushed roughly 100 million people into extreme poverty, the first rise in global extreme poverty in two decades. Lockdowns and economic shutdowns hit the poorest hardest.

Then

Extreme poverty rose to about 9% of the global population in 2020.

Now

The pandemic set back poverty reduction by several years, and recovery has been uneven.

Why this matters now

Like the 2020 extreme poverty rise, the 2026 MPI increase shows how a global shock can reverse years of progress.

2008-2009

2008 global financial crisis

The financial crisis slowed global growth sharply and pushed tens of millions of people into poverty, particularly in developing economies dependent on trade and remittances.

Then

Poverty reduction slowed or stalled in many countries for several years.

Now

Most countries recovered by the mid-2010s, but the crisis showed how quickly gains can erode.

Why this matters now

The 2008 crisis demonstrated that economic shocks can undo years of poverty reduction, a pattern the 2026 MPI data now shows repeating in Nigeria.