Poverty Alleviation through Women Empowerment Initiatives in Nigeria

Abstract

This research investigates the nexus between women’s empowerment initiatives and poverty alleviation in Nigeria with focus on economic, psychological, social, and educational dimensions. The study is grounded in the Capability Approach. A cross-sectional design was employed and primary data was collected via close-ended questionnaires from a sample of 384 randomly selected from 18,080,973 female beneficiaries of the National Cash Transfer Programme. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyse the data collected. The findings reveal a positive correlation between Economic Empowerment (ECE), Psychological Empowerment (PS), and Social Empowerment (SE) with Poverty Alleviation (PA). Unexpectedly, Educational Empowerment (EDE) exhibits a negative association with poverty alleviation. Introducing Monitoring and Evaluation (ME) as a crucial moderating variable, the research emphasizes its role in optimizing empowerment program impact. This study offers valuable insights into the relationship between women’s empowerment and poverty alleviation in Nigeria. Positive correlations in economic, psychological, and social dimensions emphasize the holistic nature of effective empowerment. The unexpected negative association with educational empowerment prompts a reassessment. The inclusion of Monitoring and Evaluation as a crucial moderating variable underscores its importance. Policy efforts should focus on holistic empowerment strategies, tailored educational initiatives, and robust Monitoring and Evaluation practices for continual program improvement.