Prospects Of Fighting Poverty In Nigeria

 By David Ugolor

As you already know, the fight against poverty remains one of our society’s most pressing challenges today, particularly in regions where a substantial portion of the population live in abject poverty. Current data from the World Poverty Clock, has pegged the number of extremely poor Nigerians at 71 million. Nigeria, with its 213.4 million-strong population, faces this stark reality.

Approximately 63 per cent (133 million people) live in multidimensional poverty according to National Bureau of Statistics data, experiencing a range of deprivations that underscore the urgency of robust intervention. Certainly, the sudden removal of fuel subsidy only increases these numbers exponentially as the cost of living is at a very worrisome level, one of the worst since Nigeria gained independence in 1960.

Nigeria: Poverty Wins, Buhari Loses

 By Dan Agbese

Some political promises are difficult to keep. The nature of politics induces political leaders to make promises they know they can only keep with soundbites and indifferent public applause. 

*Buhari 

You are not about to hear it from me that President Muhammadu Buhari has clearly failed in one of his core promises dear to the people: wrestling down poverty. He promised to take 100 million people out of poverty in ten years. To show that he meant business, sometime last year he appointed some experts to help him work out a formula for keeping his promise to the people. He does not have ten years, of course, but he has enough time to devise a mechanism or a formula that could be working in his name long after he leaves Aso Rock.