Fact Check:  Did Ebonyi State Rises From 4th to 9th Poorest State in Nigeria?

Claim:

A Facebook user, Jerimiah Obaji Nworu posted that Ebonyi State Nigeria, rises from 4th to 9th Poorest State in Nigeria, applauding Gov Francis Nwifuru for effective work in the state.

Verification:

The Cable highlighted that in 2022, according to the Nigeria Multidimensional poverty index (NMPI) revealed that Ebonyi State 9th poorest States in Nigeria, with sources based on poverty rates. According to a 2023 report by Torizone, Ebonyi state has a poverty rate of 79.76%, placing it as the 4th in Nigeria. 

Similarly, a 2023 article by WITHIN NIGERIA reports the same poverty rate, ranking Ebonyi as the 4th poorest state.  Another 2024 source, NaijaDetails, also lists Ebonyi with a poverty rate of 79.76%, placing it 4th among the poorest states in Nigeria. 

This revealed that Ebonyi State dropped from 9th position In 2022 to 4th position in 2023 not rising as claimed.

Reports indicating that high poverty rate in Ebonyi is attributed to to factors such as limited infrastructure, reliance on subsistence agriculture, and inadequate access to education and healthcare services with an estimated population of 3,318,680.

Findings:

According to NaijaDetails, the high poverty rate is caused by limited income from small-scale farming offers little financial stability, forcing many people to move to neighboring states to seek better job opportunities. Ebonyi also faces severe infrastructural challenges, which worsen living conditions.

Roads, healthcare facilities, and schools are often inadequate, and It has limited access to essential services. These shortcomings contribute to high levels of poverty.

Environmental factors such as soil degradation also reduce agricultural productivity, which has made it hard for farmers to grow enough crops to sustain their families.

Though the state government has introduced several poverty alleviation programs, funding and inefficiency issues have hindered progress. The poor economic structure and underdevelopment in Ebonyi trap many residents in poverty, with little chance of escape. 

Ebonyi State remain the 4th poorest state in Nigeria in 2023 and 2024 respectively. While conducting the fact check  research on My AiFactChecker, information available revealed that  Ebonyi State is not the 9th poorest state in 2022 infact it was ranked as the 4th poorest state in Nigeria proven with a number of sources.

The Nigeria Multidimensional poverty index does not specifically stated the Ebonyi State is the 9th poorest states,  rather one of the top 10 poorest Nigeria states.

Conclusion :

The claim that Ebonyi State , Nigeria Rises from 4th in 2022 to 9th poorest state in 2024 is misleading.

Verdict : Misleading