The country moves two spots up in the index, ranking 161 out of 193 countries assessed in the report.

The HDI is a summary measure for assessing average achievement in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living.

The HDI was created to emphasise that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic growth alone.

The report assessed changes from 2003 to 2022 and showed that Nigeria’s HDI value changed from 0.449 to 0.548, indicating 22 percent improvement.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria released the report.

In the years assessed, Nigeria’s life expectancy at birth changed by 5.2 years, expected years of schooling shifted by two years, while the gross national income (GNI) per capita improved by about 45.6 percent.

The report indicated Nigeria’s significant HDI low ranking on high counts of inequality, estimated at 32.7 percent.

“Gender disparities persist, with a notable gap between male and female HDI values and a Gender Inequality Index (GII) ranking placing Nigeria poorly,” UNDP Nigeria said.