Niger Delta Human Development Report - UNDP Nigeria - United ...

There is a paucity of
data at the local
government level,
including information
on fiscal operations.
The GDI for the Niger Delta Region
While the HDI measures average
achievement, the GDI adjusts this average
achievement to reflect the inequalities
between men and women. For the Niger
Delta states, the average GDI for 2005
was 0.444, compared to 0.439 for Nigeria
(see table 2.13). This indicates that the
Niger Delta states have outperformed the
national average, although such states as
Abia, Delta and Imo have performed
below the average. The delta region has
done comparatively well with respect to
gender equality in education, as measured
by the equally distributed educational index,
and in terms of life expectancy. The states
have done badly, however, on gender
equality and income, particularly Akwa
Ibom, Delta and Imo states.
The delta’s GDI score fares poorly in
comparison with the scores of other oilproducing
countries. In 2003, Oman scored
0.759, Venezuela 0.765, Saudi Arabia 0.749
and Indonesia 0.691 (UNDP, 2005).
Gender equality in the Niger Delta still
clearly remains an important development
challenge.
Map 2.1: Administrative Map of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria Showing Local Government Areas.
The GEM for the Niger Delta Region
The GEM measures that extent to which
women are excluded from opportunities
in a given country. The average GEM for
the Niger Delta states is 0.399 (see table
2.13). In the human development reports
on Nigeria produced so far, the GEM
could not be calculated because of data
problems. This is the same case for many
sub-Saharan countries.
Compared with the lowest GEM performers
in the world—Yemen (0.123), Saudi
Arabia (0.207) and Iran (0.318)—the Niger
Delta is not doing too badly, but efforts
need to be stepped up. While all the states
performed very well on participation, the
income index is quite low. In Imo, Delta
and Bayelsa states, women’s participation
in parliamentary activities is very low relative
to other states (see table 2.14).
Human Development at the Local
Level
Map 2.1 contains the spatial distribution
of local government areas in the region.
Capturing spatial inequalities in human
60 NIGER DELTA HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT