A new report reveals that 15 Northern states in Nigeria expended N45bn on poverty alleviation initiatives within six months. Discover the details of this effort.
A recent report indicates that around N45 billion was expended by 15 northern states on various poverty alleviation programs in the first half of 2024. This expenditure occurs against a backdrop of increasing inflation, which has intensified economic challenges nationwide.
The National Bureau of Statistics has reported that Nigeria’s inflation rate rose to 33.88% in October 2024, up from 32.70% in September, marking a significant increase from 29.90% in January, reflecting a 13% rise over ten months.
The northern region, which has persistently recorded the highest poverty levels in Nigeria, has been particularly impacted.
In April 2024, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu expressed alarm over the region’s severe poverty, especially in the North West, identifying Sokoto as the most affected state, with a national poverty rate of 40.1% as of 2019.
A 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index Survey by the NBS further highlighted the region’s critical situation, revealing that 65% of Nigeria’s impoverished population resides in the North, with Sokoto State reporting that 91% of its residents live in poverty, alongside other northern states like Jigawa, Zamfara, and Yobe, which also exhibit high poverty rates.
An investigation has shown that 15 out of the 19 northern states allocated N45,323,220,202 to poverty alleviation initiatives from January to June 2024.
These states include Zamfara, Yobe, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kogi, Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna, Jigawa, Gombe, Borno, Bauchi, and Adamawa.
The data was sourced from budget implementation reports available on the Open Nigerian States platform, a repository of government financial records supported by BudgIT.
These quarterly reports provide valuable insights into state expenditures. During the same timeframe, these states collectively received over N325 billion in grants.
Peoplesmind
