Poverty worsening in Nigeria: official report

ABUJA (AFP) - The number of Nigerians living on less than $1 per day has increased since 2004 despite economic growth in Africa's top oil producer, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Monday.

"It remains a paradox... that despite the fact that the Nigerian economy is growing, the proportion of Nigerians living in poverty is increasing every year," head of the bureau Yemi Kale said in a statement.

He said "51.6 percent of Nigerians were living below US$1 per day in 2004 but this increased to 61.2 percent in 2010."

The bureau's latest report makes clear that income inequality, a chronic problem in Africa's most populous nation, is worsening, according to Kale.

Poverty rates declined between 1985 and 1992 and between 1996 and 2004 but that trend has reversed, Kale explained.

The bureau's report said poverty rates are most acute in the northwest, at 70.4 percent, and lowest in the southwest, at 50.1 percent.

Nigeria has been rocked by a surge in violence blamed on the Islamist group Boko Haram, whose attacks have mainly been concentrated in the north of the country.

Many analysts have said that Boko Haram is largely made up of deeply impoverished northern youths who believe they have little hope in their future or of finding a job.

Northern Nigeria is predominantly Muslim while the south is mainly Christian.

Nigeria gets more than two thirds of its revenue from oil production and crude deposits are concentrated in the south.

Few Nigerians believe they benefit from the nation's considerable oil wealth, as petroleum revenue is funnelled to the ruling and business elite thanks to corruption and poor management.