As Christmas lights brighten major streets and public spaces across Cross River State, the festive glow projects an image of celebration and prosperity.
However, beyond the illuminated roads and decorated roundabouts, a different reality persists.
It is a reality marked by widespread poverty, long-standing infrastructural deficits, and inequality in rural communities.
At least 3,000 rural communities across Cross River remain trapped in a cycle of deprivation.
Many lack access to basic infrastructure such as roads, electricity, clean water, healthcare facilities, and quality education. As a result, these deficits continue to undermine economic opportunities and reinforce intergenerational poverty.
Cross River covers approximately 20,156 square kilometres and comprises 18 local government areas, with over 3,000 communities and more than 60 languages spoken.
Roughly 80 per cent of the state’s estimated four million population live in rural areas where access to basic services remains limited, and decades of uneven development have left many communities struggling to meet basic needs.
What the data says
Recent data further underscores the challe
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