New report reveals stark regional poverty gaps in Uganda

A new national survey has painted a sobering picture of poverty in Uganda, revealing deep regional inequalities despite decades of government efforts to uplift living standards.

According to the Uganda National Household Survey 2023/24, more than 7.3 million Ugandans—nearly one in six citizens—live below the absolute poverty line, defined as earning less than $1 or Shs 3,663 per day, per person.

The survey, conducted by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos), provides the most comprehensive snapshot of household wellbeing in recent years. It covered 14 sub-regions, including specific assessments of refugee populations in the Western, Northern and Kampala areas.

In total, hundreds of enumeration areas (EAs) were sampled, with 10 households randomly selected from each EA to ensure a broad and representative data set.

RURAL AREAS BEAR THE BRUNT

The findings show that poverty in Uganda remains overwhelmingly rural. Of the 7.3 million people living in absolute poverty, a staggering 5.3 million live in rural areas, compared to 1.7 million in urban centers.

These figures highlight the persistent economic divide between Uganda’s countryside and its growing towns and cities. Among the hardest-hit regions is Karamoja, which recorded the highest number of people living in absolute poverty, with 937,500 individuals affected. Other poverty hotspots include:

• Busoga: 840,700 people
• Buganda: 767,900
• West Nile: 730,000
• Bukedi: 718,400
• Teso: 709,100

In contrast, some regions show signs of stronger economic performance. Kampala, the capital and economic engine of the country, had the lowest number of poor people, with just 19,200 residents living below the poverty line.

Other regions with relatively low poverty figures include:

• Ankole: 106,800
• Kigezi: 166,300
• Elgon: 315,900

While the absolute number of people in poverty remains high, the survey also offers a glimpse of hope. Uganda’s poverty rate has fallen dramatically over the past three decades—from 56.4% in 1992/93 to just 16.1% in 2023/24.

This suggests that national development efforts have had a measurable impact, even though progress has been uneven. Income inequality, too, appears to be narrowing. According to the report, Uganda’s Gini coefficient—a common measure of income inequality—dropped from 0.413 in 2019/20 to 0.382 in 2023/24.

This decline was most significant in the Northern and Central regions, areas that have historically faced both economic hardship and conflict-related disruptions.

CHILDREN AND POVERTY: A GROWING CONCERN

Perhaps most troubling is the data on child poverty. Of Uganda’s 22.9 million children, over 4.2 million live in poverty—a figure that raises alarms about the country’s future.

Among these:

• 904,451 are girls
• 738,847 are boys
• 547,766 children live in poverty in urban areas
• 908,697 are in rural areas

The fact that such a large number of children are growing up in extreme hard- ship has serious implications for education, health and the long-term human development of the country.

These findings underscore the complex challenge facing Uganda’s policymakers. On one hand, the country has made undeniable progress in reducing poverty and inequality overall.

On the other hand, large sections of the population—especially in the north and east—remain economically vulnerable, often locked in cycles of underdevelopment due to lack of access to quality education, health services, and economic opportunities.

As Uganda looks ahead to its next development phase, the message from this report is clear: progress is possible, but it must be inclusive. No region—and no child—should be left behind.