Poverty in Nigeria: Examining the Causes of Extreme Deprivation and Sustainable Anti-Poverty Strategies

Poverty is a multifaceted phenomenon in today’s globalised world. It is rooted in various causes, and there are also multiple ways to do away with it. This paper begins with a review of the definitions and measurement of poverty and followed by a discussion of the various causes of poverty. This paper specifically identifies corruption, education, political instability, geographical characteristics, ineffective local governance, and government policies as the causes of poverty. It then suggests possible solutions or recommendations to eradicate poverty based on the causes discussed earlier. Some of the suggestions include strengthening democratic transparency and government budget transparency, public awareness, creating of a framework for economic growth and transformation, and ways to increase the ability of the poor to raise their income. Content analysis was adopted to reach at conclusion from available documented information while Structural Theory of Poverty and Sustainable Livelihoods Frameworks guided the discussion and conclusions