By James Chatim
South Sudan has been ranked as the world’s poorest country in 2025, according to new data released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), estimating the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita at $251.
In the list, the East African nation was followed closely by Yemen at $417 and Burundi at $490.
The IMF’s list of the 50 poorest countries by GDP per capita showed that the majority of low-income nations remain concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa, with persistent challenges such as conflict, weak institutions, climate vulnerability, and low investment in infrastructure and education, contributing to the low rankings.
Central African Republic ($532), Malawi ($580), Madagascar ($595), and Sudan ($625) are among the bottom ten.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy by overall GDP, appears surprisingly low on the list at number 12, with a per capita GDP of $807 underscoring the deep economic inequality and developmental challenges facing the country.
“This means that while the total economic output of Nigeria is large, it is spread across a very large population, resulting in a lower average income per person,” the report noted.
Other notable entries include Somalia ($766), Liberia ($908), Mali ($936), Chad ($991), Rwanda ($1,043), and Ethiopia ($1,066).
The figures highlight a stark contrast with global averages and raise concern over poverty, underdevelopment, and the slow pace of economic transformation in these regions.
Asia also features on the list, with Myanmar ($1,177), Nepal ($1,458), and India ($2,878) making appearances, although many Asian countries have seen steady improvement in income levels over the past decade.
The highest-ranked country on the list, India, is only marginally above Côte d’Ivoire ($2,872), Cambodia ($2,870), and the Kyrgyz Republic ($2,747), showing how large populations and uneven wealth distribution can weigh down per capita income figures even in growing economies.
Economists warn that these figures should be a call to action for global development agencies and national governments alike to deepen investments in healthcare, education, peace-building, and job-creating industries such as agriculture, technology, and manufacturing.
The IMF data serves as a stark reminder that while global wealth may be increasing in aggregate, it remains unequally distributed and for millions across these 50 nations, poverty remains a daily reality.