Nigeria has been named the most generous nation on earth, according to a new global survey by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) that measured charitable giving across 105 countries.
The World Giving Report, which polled more than 60,000 people worldwide, found that Nigerians donated an average of 2.8 per cent of their income to charitable causes, religious institutions, or individuals in need. This placed the country ahead of all others, with the top ten positions occupied exclusively by nations in Africa and Asia.
Globally, the survey found that 61 per cent of respondents made some form of donation in 2025, a slight dip from 64 per cent the previous year. The average global donation stood at one per cent of personal income, though regional disparities were stark: Africans gave 1.6 per cent on average, compared to just 0.6 per cent among Europeans.
CAF Managing Director Mark Greer described giving as a deeply personal act shaped by values, circumstances, and experience. He noted that understanding these influences could help build more resilient civil societies, and called on individuals, charities, businesses, and governments to do more to encourage a culture of giving.
The ranking is particularly striking given Nigeria’s prevailing economic conditions. Since the removal of fuel subsidy in 2025, petrol prices have fluctuated sharply, driving up transportation and food costs across the country. President Bola Tinubu has acknowledged the hardship, stating in May that he too had “lost sleep” and “lost weight” as a result of the reforms.
Yet the economic data paints a grim picture. The World Bank reported in April 2026 that poverty in Nigeria had risen to 63 per cent of the population, or approximately 140 million people, up from 56 per cent in 2023. A separate National Bureau of Statistics survey found that 133 million Nigerians lacked adequate access to healthcare, food, housing, and other basic necessities.
On social media, Nigerians offered mixed reactions to the ranking. Some celebrated the recognition of the country’s culture of hospitality and brotherhood, while others questioned the paradox of being the world’s most generous nation while grappling with deepening poverty.
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