Microfinance Credit and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria (2008 to 2019)

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between microfinance credit and alleviation of poverty in Nigeria, Poverty can be regarded as the denial of choices and opportunities, a defiance of human dignity. Despite all the policies and measures, taken to reduce poverty , no noticeable success has been achieved in this direction. The key issue is to find out the relationship between microfinance credit and poverty alleviation in Nigeria. using unemployment rate, fixed capital formation and per capita income as proxy for poverty alleviation, while micro finance credit was used as the independent variable of the study. The study covered a period of eleven years from 2008 to 2019. Ordinary least square regression analysis was used in testing the hypotheses of the study. The regression result found that there is a significant relationship between microfinance bank and unemployment rate in Nigeria, there is a significant relationship between microfinance bank and capital formation in Nigeria and there is a significant relationship between microfinance bank and per capita income in Nigeria. The study therefore concluded that microfinance credit has the ability of reducing rate of poverty in the country. The study therefore recommends that the Central Bank of Nigeria should regulate and monitor the activities of Microfinance and also administer specialized funds set aside to improve microcredit access at affordable cost, especially SME Credit Guarantee Schemes.