Poorest Country In Africa 2021: Top 10 Poorest Countries In Africa

Gideon Onasis
Gideon OnasisAuthor
Updated: April 5, 2026
6 min read
Poorest Country In Africa 2021: Top 10 Poorest Countries In Africa

Poorest country in africa 2020

NUBIA MAGAZINE just ranked the official list of the poorest countries in Africa 2021, well, we could say this is an updated list. The below list features African countries living in poverty at the moment.

With regard to many years of disasters, political instability, cruel leadership, poor decision-making and frequent embezzlement of public funds, sadly some African countries have been plagued by poor economic standards.

The major factor in determining the poorest countries in the world is by taking a look at each nation’s gross domestic product per capita. This measures the purchasing power of each nation in the international market and is a good indicator to use for determining how rich and how poor a country is.

Which Is The Poorest Country In Africa 2021?

According to our research from authoritative sources and investigating each countries GDP per capita the poorest Country in Africa is Malawi with a GDP per capita of $226.

List Of The Top 10 Poorest Countries In Africa 2021

1. South Sudan

With a GDP per capita of $237.44 South Sudan is the poorest country in Africa and the youngest nation in the world. Born on July 9, 2011, after the agreement that stopped the conflict with Sudan, the longest civil war in Africa. However, violence has still embraced this land-locked state. The conflict started in 2013 when president Salva Kiir accused his former deputy rebel Riek Machar, of organizing a coup. The clashes led to the killing of an estimated 400,000 people and more than 4 million people were displaced.

2. Malawi

With a GDP per capita of $326 Malawi stands as the poorest nation in Africa as of 2021. Malawi is among the world’s least developed countries. Around 85% of the population live in rural areas. The economy is based on agriculture, and more than one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues come from this. In the past, the economy has been dependent on substantial economic aid from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other countries. Malawi was ranked the 119th safest investment destination in the world in the March 2011 Euromoney Country Risk rankings.

3. Burundi

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Burundi was last recorded at 212.55 US dollars in 2017. The GDP per Capita in Burundi is equivalent to 2 percent of the world’s average. GDP per capita in Burundi averaged 255.24 USD from 1960 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 337.71 USD in 1991 and a record low of 181.22 USD in 1961. Burundi may not be the poorest country in Africa but they have it bad.

4. Gambia

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Gambia was last recorded at 534.30 US dollars in 2017. The GDP per Capita in Gambia is equivalent to 4 percent of the world’s average. GDP per capita in Gambia averaged 512.15 USD from 1966 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 562.50 USD in 2010 and a record low of 414.10 USD in 1967.

5. Niger

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Niger was last recorded at 395.94 US dollars in 2017. The GDP per Capita in Niger is equivalent to 3 percent of the world’s average. GDP per capita in Niger averaged 448.35 USD from 1960 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 716 USD in 1965 and a record low of 322.10 USD in 2000.

Top 10 Most Expensive Buildings In Africa 2021

6. Liberia

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Liberia was last recorded at 352.30 US dollars in 2017. The GDP per Capita in Liberia is equivalent to 3 percent of the world’s average. GDP per capita in Liberia averaged 860.83 USD from 1960 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 1682.90 USD in 1972 and a record low of 115.80 USD in 1995.

7. Madagascar

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Madagascar was last recorded at 421.89 US dollars in 2017. The GDP per Capita in Madagascar is equivalent to 3 percent of the world’s average. GDP per capita in Madagascar averaged 530.06 USD from 1960 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 755 USD in 1971 and a record low of 374.50 USD in 2002.

8. Democratic Republic of Congo

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Congo was last recorded at 409.12 US dollars in 2017. The GDP per Capita in Congo is equivalent to 3 percent of the world’s average. GDP per capita in Congo averaged 645.68 USD from 1960 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 1079.77 USD in 1974 and a record low of 263 USD in 2002.

9. Somalia

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Somalia was last recorded at 497 US dollars in 2017 and 547.32 US dollars in 2010, when adjusted by purchasing power parity (PPP). The GDP per Capita, in Somalia, when adjusted by Purchasing Power Parity is equivalent to 3 percent of the world’s average. GDP Per Capita Ppp in Somalia averaged 407.87 USD from 1970 until 2010, reaching an all time high of 547.32 USD in 2010 and a record low of 186.02 USD in 1970.

10. Guinea

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Guinea was last recorded at 856.80 US dollars in 2017. The GDP per Capita in Guinea is equivalent to 7 percent of the world’s average. GDP per capita in Guinea averaged 620.05 USD from 1986 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 856.80 USD in 2017 and a record low of 538.70 USD in 1994.

 

List Of The Top 20 Poorest Countries In Africa:

 

 

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