Educational Research and Review Vol. 4 (9), pp.

405-410, September, 2009

Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/err
ISSN 1990-3839 © 2009 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Poverty and the millennium development goals in

Nigeria: The nexus
Emma E. O. Chukwuemeka
Faculty of Management Sciences Nnamdi Azikiwe University, P. M. B. 5025, Awka, Nigeria. E-mail:
[email protected]. Tel: 08060967169; 08052671039.
Accepted 16 August, 2009

This paper made a broad overview of the poverty situation in Nigeria. The various efforts of
Government of Nigeria to stamp out poverty were examined. Some of such efforts include poverty
eradication and poverty alleviation programmes (PAP and PEP), micro credit schemes and employment
programmes. Descriptive research method was adopted and content analysis technique was essentially
used for the study. Some of the findings indicate that the poverty level is still very high in Nigeria, the
reason being that the Government pursues two incompatible goals at the same time. For instance
Government is pursuing the programme of policy eradication and youth employment and at the same
time pursues the policy of downsizing and retrenchment of public servants. More so the enabling
environment is not created to promote small-scale businesses. The paper recommends that the power
sector should be restructured since it would be difficult for small business holders to operate and break
even without adequate support from public power supply. Credit scheme programme should be well
articulated and strictly implemented.

Key words: Poverty, development, millennium.

INTRODUCTION

Nigeria, the “Giant of Africa” has been a country of pa- scope of misfortune is to compare Nigeria with Indonesia
radoxes. It is a country abundantly blessed with natural and even Malaysia. By 1972, before Nigeria and In-
and human resources, but in the first four decades of its donesia had the first oil boom contends Soludo (2006),
independence, the potentials remained largely untapped both countries were comparable in almost all spheres:
and even mismanaged. agrarian societies, multi-ethnic and religious societies,
With a population estimated at about 140 million, with comparable size of GDP. etc. Both experienced oil
Nigeria is the largest country in Africa and one-sixth of boom in 1973 and thereafter, but took different policy
th
the black population in the world. It is the 8 largest choices. The outcomes of the differences in policy
deposit of natural gas in the world (Soludo, 2006). There regimes are such that today, while manufactures as
are also abundant solid mineral deposits that remained percentage of total exports is about 40% in Indonesia, it
largely untapped. Currently, barely 40% of its arable land is less than 1% in Nigeria – where we were in 1970s. It
is under cultivation. With over 100 tertiary institutions would be recalled that even Malaysia that has overtaken
producing more than 200,000 graduates per annum Nigeria got her first palm seedlings from Nigeria in the
(Soludo, 2006). Startling as it may be, about two-thirds of early 1960s, when oil palm produce was already a major
Nigerian people are poor, yet Nigeria is a country with export of Nigeria. In the 1990s, it was said that Malaysia’s
vast potential wealth. Although revenues from crude oil export of palm oil produce earned it more than Nigeria
have been increasing over the past decades, our people earned from oil exports (Soludo, 2006).
have been falling deeper into poverty. In 1980 an esti- Poverty has many causes, all of which reinforce one
mated 27% of Nigerians lived in poverty. By 1999, about another. One source of poverty is the lack of basic
70% of the population had income of less than $1 a day – services, such as clean water, education and health care.
and the figure has risen since then (NEEDS, 2005). Another is lack of assets, such as land, tools, credit and
Poverty levels vary across the Country, with the highest supportive networks of friends and family. A third is lack
proportion of poor people in the Northwest and the lowest of employment income, including food, shelter, clothing
in the Southeast. A classical example to underscore the and empowerment. Some of these factors directly affect
406 Educ. Res. Rev.

poverty. Others contribute indirectly by producing lopment goals emerged from this declaration, firmly com-
inequality – by stiffing the political power of certain mitting governments to an ambitious set of goals and tar-
sectors of the population, for example or denying them gets by a deadline of 2015 (Socialist International, 2005).
their dignity or human rights (Chukwuemeka, 2008). The specific objectives of the MDGs are:
Generally, Nigeria emerged from colonial states as a
poor country. Her situation is weakened by poverty, 1) To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
disease and ignorance. Poverty in Nigeria is multi- 2) To achieve universal primary education.
selected, multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary. The 3) To promote gender equality and empower women.
Nigerian economy until recently has been characterized 4) To reduce child mortality.
by the paradox of growth without poverty reduction and 5) To improve maternal health.
the tickle down effect of growth on the poor, slow 6) To combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.
response of government to the endemic and persistent 7) To ensure environmental sustainability.
problem of poverty and poor governance. 8) To develop a global partnership for development.
Publications and several studies have provided graphi-
cal details of the escalating poverty situation in Nigeria The millennium goals explicitly recognize in goal 8 – that
between the period of 1980 and 2007. These reports eradicating poverty and its underlying causes requires a
revealed marked deterioration in the quality of life of global partnership for development. In the goal, rich and
Nigerians over the years since independence, resulting in poor country leaders recognized their shared role and
steady increase in the number of Nigerians caught below responsibilities to eradicate poverty worldwide. Develo-
the poverty line. Also, higher concentration of the poor ping countries, pledged to strengthen governance, institu-
live in the rural areas and the urban fringes. tions and policies. Developed countries for their part,
Poverty statistics showed that poverty level declined committed to additional and more effective and more
from 46.3% in 1985 to 42.7% in 1992. It rose sharply to sustainable debt relief and increased trade and techno-
65.8% of the population in 1996 (FOS, 1998). However, logy opportunities for poor countries.
in absolute terms the population of the poor Nigerians
increased four-fold between 1980 and 2004.
The moderately poor rose from 28.9%, in 1992 to Poverty in Nigeria: theoretical and empirical
36.3% in 1996 while the percentage of the core poor perspective
more than doubled from 13.9% in 1992 to 29.3% in 1996.
th
Nigerians in terms of physical quality of life index (PPLI) The United Nations recently placed Nigeria the 13
scored 38% in 1991. The Human Development Index poorest nation in the world with about 70% of the popula-
(HDI) was 0.391 in 1998 ranking the country as 142 out tion living on one dollar per day (UN, 2005). Kpakol
of the 174 countries surveyed. In the year 2000, the HDI (2005) reports that more than 20% of the world six billion
score for Nigeria was 0.439 which ranked Nigeria in the people are poor in the absolute sense. Given the inter-
st
151 position among 174 countries surveyed (UNDP), nationally accepted threshold of below $1.00 a day,
2000). In 2002, the HDI score was 0.466 which catego- poverty line. It means that a whooping 12 billion human
rized Nigeria in the low human development countries in beings currently cannot secure for themselves a day in-
st
the 151 ranking among 177 countries (UNDP, 2004) come of just $1.00 each to live on.
Federal Office of Statistics (2001) estimated the inci-
dence of poverty of most states in Nigeria in 1996 to be
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 51.0% meaning that 51.0% of their population is poverty
perspective stricken. Ezike and Nwuzor (2000) state that over 60% of
the population of Lagos state live below poverty line,
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) according to while government was finding it difficult in providing the
the Socialist International (2005) cited in Elekwa (2008) is necessary facilities to make living bearable for the people
part of the social democratic approach to governance in a of the state.
global society. At the 2000 UN millennium summit, 189 The problem is not peculiar to only Lagos State. It is
heads of state and government committed on behalf of the same situation all over the thirty-six states of the
their people in the millennium declaration to free their Nigerian Federation. William (2002) who holds similar
fellow citizens from the abject dehumanizing conditions of view also argues that poverty is endemic and increasing
extreme poverty. The declaration reaffirms universal in Nigeria.
values of equality, mutual respect and shared respon- The successive governments in Nigeria at one time or
sibilities for the conditions of all peoples and seeks to the other mounted programmes to stamp out poverty in
redress the lopsided benefits of globalization. At the heart Nigeria, such programmes include Operation Feed the
of the declaration are human rights, peace, gender equi- Nation, Green Revolution, Structural Adjustment
ty, environment and the pressing priorities of the least Programme, Directorate of Food Road and Rural Infra-
developed countries and Africa. Eight millennium deve- structure (DFRRI), National Directorate of Employment
 Chukwuemeka 407

(NDE) etc. Other activities of Government include the Table 1. Unemployed persons by educational level/age group
provision of basic amenities such as social and economic and sex as at December for rural x urban Nigeria combined.
infrastructure programmes to generate employment,
enhance income earnings, increase productivity and Level 2002 2003 2004 2005
those targeted at more equitable increase in production All levels 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
and supply of food and increased economic activities. No schooling 14.0 16.6 110 14.9
These programmes were aimed at meeting the needs of Primary 21.0 16.1 18 15.8
the poor. Secondary 55.2 57.4 59.7 16.5
Post secondary 9.7 9.9 11.0 16.5
Dispensation of the present democratic Age group: All 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
administration, 1999 – 2007 groups (15-59)
15 - 24 59.9 49.6 54.8 52.9
Consequent upon the experiences of the past, the civilian 25 - 44 342 35.9 35.5 41.1
government initiated a number of programmes and 45 - 59 4.2 5.2 3.9 2.7
policies directed at reducing poverty. The first programme 60 - 64 4.7 9.2 6.8 3.4
was the Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) which was Sex (both sex) 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
targeted at correcting the deficiencies of the past efforts Male 56.4 59.8 55.5 58.3
at alleviating poverty through the overall objectives of Female 43.6 40.2 44.5 41.7
providing direct jobs for 200,000 unemployed persons
and hence stimulates production within a period of one Source: National bureau of statistics (2006) p. 56.
year. This programme later metamorphosed into Poverty
Eradication Programme (PEP) because of the need to
improve participatory approach for sustainability, for The main strategies of NEEDS are achieved on a tri-
effective coordination at all levels of government and pod. Empowering people (Human Development Agenda);
proper focusing of the programme. The core programmes promoting private enterprise and changing the way the
of poverty eradication programme were Youth Employ- government does its work (Reform government and insti-
ment Scheme, Social Welfare Services Scheme; Rural tutions). NEEDS is aimed at all aspects of the people’s
Infrastructure Development Scheme and Natural socio-economic life with the aim of reducing poverty and
Resources Development and Conservation Scheme. inequality. Despite her great natural wealth, Nigeria is still
The World Bank (2001/2002) later had to assist Nigeria considered poor and social development is limited. If the
in formulating poverty strategy programmes and policies present trends continue the Country is not likely to meet
through Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Under
(IPRSP) with the aim of building on the gains of the NEEDS, reforms are ongoing in the key sectors of the
earlier efforts on poverty programmes (PAP and PEP). economy with the objective of poverty reduction through
In the face of the growing concern to sustain the gains of anti-poverty programmes and policies.
the poverty efforts, the Obasanjo’s government came up Table 1 shows that unemployment is more prevalent
with a comprehensive home-grown poverty reduction among secondary school leavers. Also those in the age
strategy known as National Economic Empowerment and bracket of 25 to 44 experience unemployment more than
Development Strategy (NEEDS) in 2004. The NEEDS other age groups in Nigeria. The table further shows that
also builds on the earlier two years. The NEEDS as unemployment is more among the males than females.
conceptualized is a medium term strategy (2003 - 2007), The data in Tables 2 shows that high rate of unemploy-
which derives from the country’s long-term goals of ment still exist in Nigeria despite different unemployment
poverty reduction, wealth creation, employment gene- and poverty eradication strategies. Unemployment
ration and value re-orientation. The NEEDS is a national undoubtedly is a mark of underdevelopment. It is also an
coordinated framework of action in close collaboration index to measure poverty. Evidentently, unemployment is
with the state and local governments and other stake- more in the urban area than rural. It is as a result of rural
holders. The equivalent of NEEDS at state and local –urban migration.
government levels are State Economic Empowerment Table 3 reveals that poverty has been growing at
and Development Strategy (SEEDS) and Local Govern- geometrical progression in Nigeria. Looking at the table, it
ment Economic Empowerment and Development Strate- could be deduced that in 2004 Nigerian population was
gy (LEEDS). The NEEDS, in collaboration with the 126.3 m; out of this 68.7 m people were in poverty. In
SEEDS was expected to mobilize the people around the 1980 the population was estimated at 65 m, out of this
core values, principles and programmes of the NEEDS 18.2 m people were in poverty. The data were further
and SEEDS. A coordinated implementation of both presented in a graph as per Figure 1.
programmes is expected to reduce unemployment, Considering the period, 1980 – 2004, the proportion of
reduce poverty and lay good foundation for sustained the core poor increased from 6.2% in 1980 to 29.3% in
development. 1996 and then came down to 21.8% in 2004. For the mo-
408 Educ. Res. Rev.

70

60

% Poverty head count

50

40

30

20

. 10

0
1980 1985 1992 1996 2004

YEAR

Figure 1. Trends in poverty levels (1980- 2004).

Table 2. National unemployment rates in Nigeria (Year- Table 4. Percentage distribution of the population in
ending December). poverty (using two boundaries).

Survey period Composite Urban Rural Moderately

Year Core poor Non-poor
1998 3.4 6.1 2.8 poor
1999 3.2 6.0 2.6 1980 6.2 21.0 72.8
2000 3.2 4.9 2.8 1985 12.1 34.2 53.7
2001 3.1 5.8 2.5 1992 13.9 28.9 57.3
2002 4.7 7.2 3.7 1996 29.3 36.3 34.4
2003 4.2 4.8 3.9 2004 22.0 32.4 43.3
2004 3.0 3.8 2.7 Source: (NBS) (2004) pp. 22-24.
2005 2.9 3.2 2.7
2006 2.8 3.3 2.6
Source: NBS (2006) p. 56. Table 5 presents data on the relative contribution of
each sector and zone to National poverty. The contribu-
tion of the urban sector to National poverty is 35.0%,
Table 3. Trends in poverty levels 1980 – 2004. while that of the rural sector is 65.1%. This result equally
shows that poverty is more predominant in the rural
Estimated Total population sector. In the 2004 survey, Northwest made the highest
Poverty
Year Population in poverty contribution of 33.6% to National poverty. Northeast
incidence 17.7% and North central 17.7%. In this case both North
(m) (m)
1980 21.1 65 18.26 central and Northeast contribute equally, yet have dif-
ferent poverty incidences. This would mean although the
1985 46.3 75 34.73
poverty incidence is higher in the Northeast, proportio-
1992 42.7 91.5 39.07
nately, there are the same number of poor in each zone.
1996 65.6 102.3 67.11
Southeast made the least contribution to National
2004 54.4 126.3 68.70 poverty.
Source: National bureau of statistics (2004) pp. 22-24.

APPRAISAL OF GOVERNMENT POVERTY REFORMS

derately poor the picture is quite different as the propor- In assessing the implementation and impact of the Pover-
tion recorded increased between 1980 and 1985 from ty Alleviation Programme (PAP), Poverty Eradication Pro-
21.0 to 134.2% and 1992 and 1996, 28.9 to 36.5% but gramme (PEP) and employment generation programmes
decreased during the periods 1985 and 1992 from of the present democratic dispensation, there have not
34.228.9% and 1996 – 2004 from 36.3 to 32.4%. been any discernible positive impact. However some mo-
 Chukwuemeka 409

Table 5. Contribution by sector and zone to National Goals (MDGs) which one of its main thrust and number 1
poverty.
objective is poverty eradication.
There is no gain saying that effort made by the suc-
Sector Incidence Contribution
cessive regimes and administrations in Nigeria to stamp
Urban 43.2 35.0 out poverty failed due to poor implementation and incom-
Rural 63.3 65.0 patibility of policy goals. For instance Eze (2007) con-
Zone tends that the government of Olusegun Obasanjo ado-
South – South 35.1 9.7 pted the policy of poverty eradication and promotion of
South east 26.7 5.9 socio-economic development and at the same time pur-
South west 43.0 15.5 sued a policy of retrenchment of thousands of workers
North central 67.0 17.7 from the federal bureaucracy including the armed forces.
North east 72.2 17.2 This goes to show that some of the poverty oriented
North west 71.2 33.6 programmes of government like Operation Feed the
Nation, National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Natio-
Source: NBS (2004) pp. 22-24
nal Poverty Eradication Programme, National Economic
Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) etc
have failed to solve the problem of poverty in Nigeria
dest successes may have been achieved in other reforms because of “incompatibility of goals”.
of the government, such as in the communication and Another problem that impedes the actualization of
financial sectors. But the data in Tables 1 – 5 revealed poverty related programmes in Nigeria argues Chukwu-
that the reform has yielded no significant result. emeka (2008) is the nefarious practices of the policy
In Nigeria, poverty situation was worsened by the rapid formulators. The policy makers in Nigeria are wont to
annual population growth rate with the attendant femini- formulate policies and programmes with some inbuilt
zation of gender. In general, government has not been flexibilities to allow them loopholes to make inordinate
unaware of the poverty situation in Nigeria. In spite of all gains. For instance most poverty related programmes do
these efforts poverty is still on the increase as observed not get to the people at the grassroots where most of the
in the tables. However, the government past efforts can poor people reside. The comprador bourgeoisie hijack
be categorized into three main areas including the efforts some of such programmes. Essentially most of the
of the present civilian government of Umaru Yar’Dua comprador bourgeoisie are agents of the ruling elites.
which came to power in May, 2007. The power sector is not productive and thus the ena-
However, there are signs that there may be impro- bling environment is not guaranteed for micro businesses
vement with time especially if corruption is eradicated. to thrive. The 17,000 MHW currently generated by Power
The successful recapitalization of the banks portends a Holding of Nigeria is grossly inadequate as against a
bright future for the country especially in the area of en- minimum of 50,000 MHW.
trepreneurship. The slow pace of development requires a Government regulatory policies are oftentimes not
lot of patience, perseverance and every citizen’s positive favorable to small-scale business holders. Such regula-
contribution. tory policies include: local government tariffs, business
premises tariffs, environmental agency tariffs, etc and the
nefarious activities of hoodlums who hide under the cloak
Challenges of poverty to the millennium development of the above mentioned agencies to intimidate and extort
goals money from innocent micro business owners.
Nigeria as a developing country is seriously challenged
by poverty. Out of every 10 Nigerians 7 live on less than Concluding remarks
$1 a day and the picture is getting bad by the day
(Amobi, 2008). On account of poverty in Nigeria, poor In conclusion, it is important to restate that the way for-
parents begat poor children, thereby creating a kind of ward towards poverty eradication in Nigeria includes:
dynasty of the poor. Life expectancy is a mere 54 years
(Chukwuemeka, 2008). Infant mortality is 77 per 1,000 (a) The government should pursue pragmatic policies like
and maternal mortality stands at 704 per 100,000 live granting of soft loans to small business holders, formulate
births, which is about the highest in the world. Only about open apprenticeship programme that would be free for
half the population of Nigeria had access to safe drinking rural dwellers.
water (40% in rural areas, 60% in urban areas). Unem- (b) The power sector should be restructured to minimize
ployment and underemployment rate is put at 15% of the the erratic nature of power supply.
labour force (Amobi, 2008). (c) The down sizing and retrenchment policies of Govern-
It is frightening that Nigeria with such a dismal outlook ment is antithetical to poverty reduction strategy. The
as presented above, may not qualify immensely to em- Government should not pursue the policy of downsizing
brace the imperatives of the Millennium Development or retrenchment of public servants, and at the same time
410 Educ. Res. Rev.

Chukwuemeka EO (2008). The Substance of Public Administration in

pursue the policy of poverty eradication.
Nigeria: A Compendium of Public Policy and Local Government,
(d) There should be effective birth control policy, which Enugu: Computer Edge
should be legislated. In China the policy is one child per Elekwa NN (2008). The place of Local Authorities in the Millennium
couple. Development Goals attainments: Some suggested strategies, J.
Manage. Sci. 17(2): 56-57
(e) Government should formulate policies and Eze GO (2007). the Politics of Poverty Eradication in Nigeria, J. Policy
programmes to encourage small-scale entrepreneurs sail Dev. Stud. 2(3): 16-17
smooth in their private investment. Ezike KN, Nwuzor BA (2000). Democratization of poverty level of Rural
Such encouragement should include: Households in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Im-
plications for Poverty Alleviation, Esut, J. Dev. Manage. 3(1/2): 25-26
Federal Office of Statistics (2001) Poverty Incidence pp. 9-13.
- Tax holiday. Kpakol M (2005). “Major Challenges Facing Africa: Guardian News-
- Interest free loan. papers, April 4 pp. A2, A6.
- Low tariff. National Bureau of Statistics (2004) Poverty Survey pp. 22-24
National Bureau of Statistics (2006) Poverty Survey p.56
(d) Efforts should be intensified through the Independent Soludo C (2006). “Can Nigeria be the China of Africa?” A paper
delivered at the Founders’ Day of the University of Benin, Benin City,
Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and Economic and p.20
Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to stamp out Socialist International (2005) “Declaration on Millennium Development
corruption in Nigeria to make for effective implementation Goals” Council Meeting of the Socialist International Tel Aviv and Ra
of poverty related programmes. mallah pp. 2-4
William K (2002). “UK, Spends 81 Million pounds on Poverty Reduction
Programme in Nigeria” Pointer, A6.
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