Multidimensional Poverty due to COVID‐19 in Southeast Nigeria: Exploring the Roles of Education, Marital and Employment Status

Poverty as a phenomenon is multidimensional, and its incidence and causes constitute constant debate in the literature of the phenomenon. A crisis such as the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and the resultant lockdowns may increase poverty prevalence among citizens and, particularly, certain demographic characteristics in Nigeria. Hence, this study's general objectives were to interrogate the incidence of multidimensional poverty due to the COVID‐19 pandemic in the South‐eastern States of Nigeria, using the roles of educational level, marital status, and employment status of citizens as predictors. The 36 methodology of analysing multidimensional poverty index (MPI) was used in the study, and logistic regression is utilised to assess the determinant of multidimensional poverty. Additionally, an interstate online survey of 1057 participants (using a questionnaire) from five states was employed. The results indicated the prevalence and dynamics of COVID‐19 multidimensional poverty in the study area, with 46.55% constituting the severe poor, 16.84% the poor, 6.71% the near poor, and 29.90% the none poor. There were no major significant differences between the states. Significant predictors of COVID‐19‐related poverty in the study were the secondary school educational status and the employment dynamics of respondents. The implication of the result of the study suggests the application of effective palliative measures towards the vulnerable groups, which contributes to poverty reduction.