The 2026 update of the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) shows a rise in the number of people living in multidimensional poverty by 51.5 million to 1.2 billion globally. This marks the first increase since the index’s inception in 2010. Nigeria is specifically highlighted as a country where previous poverty reduction gains have been reversed, with both the poverty rate and the absolute number of people in multidimensional poverty climbing during the 2020s. The index, which tracks health, education, and living standards, warns that rural populations and children remain the most vulnerable.