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Ending the poverty trap in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria

Journal of Social Development in Africa

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Title Ending the poverty trap in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria
 
Creator Ibaba, IS
Ebiede, TM
 
Subject poverty trap, Niger Delta, policy options, governance, corruption, Nigeria
 
Description Nigeria is one of the most populous countries on the African continent. While the country is well-endowed in respect of natural resources, research has revealed a consistent increase in the incidence of poverty. The poverty level was 28.1 percent in 1980, 46.3 percent in 1985, 42.7 percent in 1992, 65.6 percent in 1996, and 54.4 percent in 2004. The trend shows no signs of abating. The country is divided into six geo-political zones, namely the South-West, South-East, South-South, North-West, North-East and North-Central. It is in the South-South zone that the Niger Delta region, which is the focus of this paper, is situated. The Niger Delta region is rich in terms of natural resources, including oil, and yet poverty is pervasive. This paper investigates the poverty trap in the Niger Delta region. The main focus is the determination of policy options that may enable people in the region to escape the poverty trap. The analysis shows that uncontrolled population growth and loss of capabilities are the fundamental causes of the poverty trap. Bad governance and corruption too were identified as major challenges to ending the poverty trap in the region. The suggested policy options are essentially hinged on population planning, development and capability development.KEYWORDS: poverty trap, Niger Delta, policy options, governance, corruption, Nigeria
 
Publisher School of Social Work, University of Zimbabwe
 
Contributor —
 
Date 2010-05-07
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Peer-reviewed Article
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://www.ajol.info/index.php/jsda/article/view/54264
10.4314/jsda.v24i1.54264
 
Source Journal of Social Development in Africa; Vol 24, No 1 (2009)
1012-1080
 
Language eng
 
Relation http://www.ajol.info/index.php/jsda/article/view/54264/42786
 
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