Data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for 2022 revealed that about 72% of the people of Bauchi State are considered multidimensionally poor, often residing in homes constructed with natural or rudimentary materials.
Additionally, over 69.2%, are experiencing deprivation in accessing clean cooking fuel, often resorting to dung, wood, or charcoal for cooking purposes.
Furthermore, approximately 77.6% of children in the state are experiencing deprivation in child engagement activities such as reading books, storytelling, singing songs, outdoor play, and educational activities, indicating the need for comprehensive interventions to support child development.
The poverty levels and compositions vary across different zones within the state, highlighting the need for targeted interventions tailored to specific communities’ needs.
WIKKIDATA: Bauchi Receives N75.2 Billion FAAC Allocation in 2023
Based on zones, Bauchi Central Zone had 2,464,000 poor persons followed by the Northern Zone with 1,778,000 poor persons while the Southern Zone had 1,320,000 poor persons.
Similarly, the report by the agency added that 42% of the people of the state were deprived of the basic poverty indicators in the Central Zone also followed by the Northern Zone with 39.8% while the Southern zone had 38.2% persons deprived.
An index that measures the percentage of households in a country deprived along three dimensions –monetary poverty, education, and basic infrastructure services – to capture a more complete picture of poverty
The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) is a means to capture the complexity of poverty that considers dimensions of well-being beyond just monetary poverty.
MPI is composed of six indicators; consumption or income, educational attainment, educational enrollment, drinking water, sanitation, and electricity.
It includes access to education and basic infrastructure along with the monetary headcount ratio at the $2.15 international poverty line.
The population of the Bauchi State was in 2022, projected to be 8.3 million people with a 3.7% Annual Population Change.
A WikkiTimes reports that data from the NBS show that Bauchi state received the sum of N75.2 billion as allocation from the federation accounts committee in 2023. It also received another N69.72 billion as local government allocation, meaning that between the state and local government, the state received a sum of N144 billion in one year.
Babaji Usman Babaji is an investigative journalist with over four years of experience, renowned for his impactful reporting on corruption, human rights violations, and holding those in power accountable in Nigeria.
His career is distinguished by participation in numerous media training programs and conferences, which have honed his investigative and reporting skills. Babaji’s data-driven stories have made a significant impact, particularly in Northern Nigeria, shedding light on critical issues and driving meaningful change.
As a reporter under WikkiTimes’ Collaborative Media (CMEDIA) Project, Babaji has led several groundbreaking investigations. He was a 2022 fellow of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) and a 2024 Media Foundation for West Africa DPI/DPG fellow. His contributions to accountability journalism earned him a Certificate of Recognition from Xchange Hama Media for impactful community work.
