Opinions

Poverty and inequality in Nigeria

Published by

3 years ago

The widening gap of poverty and inequality in Nigeria is becoming something that needs urgent attention for the nation to meet the sustainable goals of reducing extreme poverty and hunger. Poverty occurs when the citizens lack access to basic needs in life such as shelter, food and clothes. Inequality refers to unequal distribution of resources. It occurs when some states are not meeting up to expectation in terms of income generation, education, health, nutrition, politics, social identity and so forth.

Most people have been marginalised in the society because of identities such as gender, disability, race, ethnicity, caste, religion or language. Apart from the rural areas, women have been badly affected by poverty and inequality after colonial rule. Many Nigerians live in rural areas while about 40 percent live in urban centres. The national poverty headcount rate is 40.1 percent. The rural areas have 52.1 percent, and the urban centres have 18.04 percent. The high level of poverty in Nigeria has instigated many youths to commit crime and other social vices in the country. In recent times, the entire North has been faced with terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and herders violence while other parts of the country have their own challenges like armed robbery, ritual killings and gang violence.

It is quite unfortunate that some places in Nigeria which have ethnic minority group have been marginalised due to population size. They live in a worse physical environment and have limited access to essential services. They lack development and well-being in the society.

The government should reduce poverty and promote equality of job creation, provision of vocational centres across the country, implementation of laws to control birth rate, and promote gender equality, and provision of infrastructural facilities in rural areas for economic growth and development.

Kadiri Saliu, Abuja.

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