Determinants Of Poverty In Nigeria

Nigeria, like every other sub-Saharan country is rich in natural resources, increasing economic growth (the country has earned over US$300 billion from crude oil alone) and a sporadically exploding population (Majorly able-bodied youth). Ironically, Nigeria’s basic social indicators now place her as one of the 25 poorest countries in the world (Akanbi and Du Toit, 2009). The Nigerian Living Standard Survey (2004) report noted that poverty dropped from 65.6 percent in 1996 to 57.8percent in 2004 while non-poor increased from 34.4 percent in 1996 to 42.2 percent in 2004 (NBS, 2005). Therefore, it is important to understand that the monetary definition of poverty has not really auger well in the fight against poverty particularly in this part

These were gender, years of formal education, access to electricity, access to improved seed, access to veterinary services, distance to the nearest tarred road and access to formal credit facilities. Oni and Yusuf (2007) examined the determinants of expected poverty among rural households in Nigeria. The data for the study were analyzed using three stages feasible generalized least squares (FGLS). The study found that farming households have lower mean per capita consumption compared with their non-farming households. Akerele and Adewuyi (2011) who were concerned with the incidence, depth and severity of poverty in Ekiti state of Nigeria used a multistage sampling approach and a total of 80 selected households. Result showed that 38.30 percent of the households studied in Ekiti state of Nigeria were poor and would require a financial resource up to 41.80% of 1 US Dollar (N130) per day (for each household member) to be able to escape poverty. Further results showed that Female headed households in the study area were more vulnerable to income poverty with poverty incidence, depth and severity of 0.221 and 0.239, 0.402 and 0.191,

Northwest accounted for the highest relative contribution (30%) to national rural poverty. Several authors have worked on poverty; however, it is interesting to point out that only one author has endeavor to investigate the multi-dimensional nature of poverty in Nigeria, Adeoti and Popoola, (2012), employed the use of MPI to focus on the determinant of child labor in Nigeria, using a pooled/ panel data, this is the only recent work using Multidimensional poverty index. However, their approach was to view the country as a whole while this study addresses poverty at the grassroot level by employing the multi-dimensional poverty measurement approach. This is to further help understand the current situation, identify the factors causing this situation, help determine the necessary measures and means to be employed in fighting poverty in Nigeria. This study therefore employed the multi-dimensional poverty measurement approach to further add to literature on poverty in the