These 20 African countries are on the World Bank’s low income list, due to low GNI per capita

The high income countries have a GNI per capita of at least $12,696, while the upper middle income countries have a GNI per capita of at least $4,096. Also, the GNI per capita in lower middle income countries stands at between $1,046 and $4,095, while low income countries have a GNI per capita of $1,045 or less.

“For the current 2022 fiscal year, low-income economies are defined as those with a GNI per capita, calculated using the World Bank Atlas method, of $1,045 or less in 2020; lower middle-income economies are those with a GNI per capita between $1,046 and $4,095; upper middle-income economies are those with a GNI per capita between $4,096 and $12,695; high-income economies are those with a GNI per capita of $12,696 or more,” explained the World Bank.

These low income countries, which are also referred to as underdeveloped or emerging markets, are noticeably poorer than countries in the other three development categories highlighted above. Due to their peculiar development challenges, a lot of these countries depend on development aids and subsidised loans from multilateral lenders in order to survive.