Challenges of Poverty on National Development in Nigeria

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue IX, September 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186

Challenges of Poverty on National Development in Nigeria

Omaku Angulu Abubakar & Habakuk Aboki
Pre-ND Department, Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Lafia Nasarawa State

Abstract: One of the most notable challenges of economic development of any nation is poverty. This is because it is the responsibility of the leadership of any nation to carter for the welfare of its citizens. It is estimated that globally, about three billion people live below $2 per day poverty threshold and may increase to three billion people by the year 2050. A substantial number of these people living in absolute poverty are Africans. This vicious cycle of poverty among Africans is noted to ‘be trans-generational and may continue unabated of appropriate strategies to combat same are not put in place. Nigeria being the most populous nation in Africa has a good share of these poverty striking Africans and has made concerted efforts since independence to tackle this poverty, cycle without achieving, the desired results. This paper attempts an explanation of the concept of poverty and its theoretical framework, the impact of poverty on Nigerian economic development, causes of poverty in Nigeria and effort made by successive governments to eradicate poverty in the country. In conclusion, some policy recommendations aimed at eradicating poverty in the country were made.

Key Words: Challenges of Poverty, National Development, Nigeria’s Experience.

I. INTRODUCTION

Poverty has been acknowledged as a major global development challenge, its attack and prevalence in Africa has assumed a disturbing dimension. Africa is widely believed to be the continent with the fastest growth of poverty. In Nigeria about 86.9 million people live in severe poverty, which is about 50% of its entire population (World Bank, 2020). According to Umo (2012) in the post slavery and colonial experience, poverty is perhaps the single most widespread social pathology the continent has experienced since political independence in the 1960s. Khalid (2008) posited that one quarter of the world population continue to live in absolute poverty, unable to meet their most basic needs and surviving on less than one dollar a day (World Bank international poverty line USD1.90). Over one hundred million children of school age are denied the right to basic education in sub-Saharan Africa and the number continues to rise. Each year, about half a million women die worldwide in child birth due to lack of access to simple and affordable anti-natal health care while close to one quarter of a million children under the age of five die from malnutrition, malaria measles and other preventable diseases.

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