Status of Living Standards in Nigeria between 2010 and 2013

Abstract

ABSTRACTNigeria experienced a drop in the poverty rate to an average of 56.1% between 1999 and 2007. This could be attributed to the measures taken by the civilian government against administrative corruption, increased domestic and foreign investments and some implemented agricultural policies. These efforts were thwarted by subsequent administrations with devastating effects on the Nigerian population. Despite an average annual economic growth rate of 6% between 2004 and 2010, the incidence of poverty has remained high, increasing from 54.7% in 2004 to 60.9% in 2010. The high rate of poverty in Nigeria has reached alarming proportions. It is in recognition of this that this study analyzes the variations in poverty across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, including the rural and urban areas. To achieve this objective, the study analyzes poverty from a non-income approach using the living standards indicators: floor of the dwelling, cooking fuel, lighting, source of drinking water, type of sanitation facility and type of refuse disposal facility. The dataset used in this study is the General Household Survey (GHS-Panel) wave 1 (2010–2011) and wave 2 (2012–2013). The living standards indicators reveal, albeit geographically unevenly distributed, that the majority of Nigerians have low living standards in a number of key areas, across the six geopolitical zones and in both urban and rural areas. The results of the study thus show increases in poverty in most of Nigeria’s geopolitical zones and in both the rural and urban areas, despite the years of economic growth preceding the General Household Survey, indicating that growth has not been pro-poor in Nigeria.