“The government of Nigeria has placed poverty reduction at the centre of the country’s economic policy and development programs since independence. Though this was not explicitly targeted in earlier development plans (1962 to 1975) of the country, it featured in more pronounced ways in
latter programs and projects, many of which specifically targeted elimination of poverty. These targeted programs and projects covered a wide range of sectors of the economy including agriculture, health, education, housing and finance. Internationally, evidence suggests that economic growth, measured by yearly increases in total
national income of a country, is not always sufficient to reduce poverty within countries. It is possible that the increase in total national income is benefiting the already rich and not the poor and deprived population. This situation may lead to the widening of the gap between the haves
and have-nots or what is often referred to as inequality in income.”
