Page updated on 31/01/2009

Despite Nigerias enormous resources and potential, poverty is widespread throughout the nation. Its basic indicators place it among the 20 poorest countries of the world.

There is much despair throughout Nigeria, a situation that has led to a "brain drain" from the country to other nations of the world. Much of the despair can be linked to the abysmal quality of life of the average Nigerian, and also to the huge income disparity between the poverty-stricken masses and the few well-to-do Nigerians.

For many Nigerians the quality of life has declined rather than improved since independence 40 years ago.

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