The Impact of Poverty on Northern Nigeria’s Development: A Comprehensive Analysis

Abstract

Poverty in Nigeria significantly hampers the nation’s developmental progress, with Northern Nigeria bearing the brunt of this socioeconomic issue. Despite the country’s rich agricultural and natural resources and a relatively significant industrial sector, Nigeria remains one of the world’s poorest countries, with up to 70% of its population living in poverty. This paper explores the multidimensional nature of poverty in Nigeria, utilizing data from the National Bureau of Statistics and other sources to provide an analysis and graphical representation of poverty rates. The 2022 National Multidimensional Poverty Index reveals that 63% of Nigerians, or over 133 million people, live in poverty, with a disproportionate impact on Northern Nigeria. Contributing factors include adverse economic policies, regional disparities, and demographic challenges. This analysis underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to address the deep-rooted poverty in Northern Nigeria and foster sustainable development across the country. This paper examines the severe impact of poverty on Nigeria’s development, focusing on the acute disparities between Northern and Southern regions. Despite Nigeria’s abundant agricultural and natural resources and a relatively significant industrial sector, it remains one of the world’s poorest countries, with up to 70% of its population living in poverty. Using data from the National Bureau of Statistics and other sources, the paper provides a comprehensive analysis and graphical representation of poverty rates. The 2022 National Multidimensional Poverty Index reveals that 63% of Nigerians, or over 133 million people, live in poverty, with Northern Nigeria experiencing the highest rates. Factors contributing to this include adverse economic policies, regional disparities, and demographic challenges. By integrating multiple sociological theories—structural functionalism, conflict theory, dependency theory, social exclusion theory, and human capital theory—the paper offers a thorough understanding of poverty’s root causes in Northern Nigeria. It concludes with targeted recommendations for interventions to mitigate poverty and promote sustainable development across the country.