Edo State, under the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki has emerged as a frontrunner among its counterparts in the South-South region of Nigeria, surpassing them in key development indicators.
This was highlighted in the Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index (NMPI, 2022) compiled by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Statisense, a platform on X (formerly Twitter), dissected the states in the South-South region based on various dimensions of deprivation across health, education, living standards, work, and shocks.
According to the NMPI 2022 report, Edo State excelled in nutrition compared to the other five states, with Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River, and Rivers ranking 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, respectively, in terms of nutritional status.
Similarly, Edo led in the accessibility of healthcare services, with Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Delta following in that order.
In terms of housing conditions, Edo outperformed its counterparts, with Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Delta trailing behind.
Overall, Edo State demonstrated lower levels of multidimensional poverty compared to the other states, with Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Delta ranked in descending order of poverty severity.
Furthermore, Edo exhibited lower unemployment rates than its neighboring states, with Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Delta occupying the subsequent positions from 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th positions respectively.