African Ancestors and Atlantic Hurricanes: Myth Meets Meteorology

Africa now accounts for most of the world’s rich and poor.

Three in ten Africans in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe are not considered poor. In eighteen African countries 50% of residents live on more than $1.90 per day. 

When it comes to measuring monetary poverty, the $1.90 benchmark is used to assess how well people are doing relative to the basic needs. Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa and hosts Africa's richest and poorest populations.

Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote is an industrialist currently worth 12 billion US dollars. He founded the Dangote Group which controls much of Nigeria’s commodities trade. 

This business tycoon and philanthropist is referred to as the golden child of Nigerian business circle. He once drove a taxi cab on the streets of London to fund his education.

Aliko Dangote is a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of Dangote Group, a multinational conglomerate with interests in commodities trading, cement manufacturing, sugar refining, salt processing, and more.

Dangote was born on April 10, 1957, in Kano, Nigeria. He studied business at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, before starting his business career in 1977 by trading in commodities such as sugar and rice.

Over the years, Dangote has built his business empire into one of the largest in Africa, with operations in several countries. He is widely regarded as one of the richest people in Africa and the world, with a net worth of around $9.5 billion as of 2021, according to Forbes.

Apart from his business ventures, Dangote is also known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly in the areas of education and healthcare. He has donated millions of dollars to various causes, including the fight against HIV/AIDS, and has also established a foundation to help alleviate poverty in Nigeria.

Africa now accounts for most of the world’s rich and poor, and unlike most of the rest of the world, the total number of rich and poor is increasing due to success in the tech market, oil and mineral growth. 

Most of Angola's capital city population lives in poverty on the outskirts of the city but in the center, Angola's capital city Luanda is the priciest city to live in the whole of Africa.

In Luanda, you must have very deep pockets for housing, transport, clothes, food and entertainment and everything else in-between. Luanda was judged the costliest city due to the expense of goods and security.

When it comes to measuring monetary poverty, the $1.90 benchmark is used to assess how well people are doing relative to the basic needs. Almost half the world lives on less than US$5.50 per day with around 25% of this number living on less than US$3.20 per day.

But the population of Africa is young, very young in fact. The median age in Africa is 21 years old. Niger average age is 14.8, the youngest African country and the youngest country in the world. The African islands of Seychelles is the oldest African country with an average age of 36.8. Most young people are go-getter city dwellers not setting for living on $1.90 per day.

According to the most recent estimates, in 2015, the poorest African citizens disproportionately live in rural areas and the more well-to-do live in expensive cities, Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco are Africa's five richest countries with the best economies. Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa and hosts Africa's richest and poorest populations.

African populace who are not considered poor.

African Country	Percent living above $1.90 per day
Mauritius	92
Morocco	85
Tunisia	84.5
South Africa	83.4
Botswana	80.7
Uganda	78.5
Tanzania	77.2
Algeria	77
Djibouti	77
Ghana	75.8
Egypt	72.2
Namibia	71.3
Ethiopia	70.4
Cabo Verde	70
Cameroon	70
Mauritania	69
Libya	67
Gabon	65.7
Kenya	63.9
Mali	63.9
Benin	63.8
Angola	63.4
Rwanda	60.9
Seychelles	60.7
Burkina Faso	59.9
Equatorial Guinea	56
Niger	54.6
Mozambique	53.9
Cote d'Ivoire	53.7
Republic of the Congo	53.5
Sudan	53.5
Chad	53.3
Senegal	53.3
Guinea	53
The Gambia	51.6
Eritrea	50
Malawi	49.3
Liberia	45.9
Zambia	45.6
Togo	44.9
Lesotho	43
Central African Republic	38
Democratic Republic of the Congo	37
Eswatini	37
Burundi	35.4
South Sudan	34
Sao Tome and Principe	33.7
Guinea-Bissau	33
Nigeria	30
Sierra Leone	29.8
Madagascar	29.3
Zimbabwe	27.7
Somalia	no data

While three in ten Africans in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe are not considered  officially poor, poverty is on the rise in several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in fragile and conflict-affected states. 

Poverty encompasses a shortfall in income and consumption, but also low educational achievement, poor health and nutritional outcomes, lack of access to basic services, and a hazardous living environment.

Did you know? In October 2015, approximately 10% of the world’s population lived in extreme poverty, the lowest poverty rate in recorded history and a $1.90 at 2011 international prices became the new international poverty line (IPL).

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