Poverty reduction and the attainment of the millenium development goals in Nigeria: Problems and prospects

The paper gives abroad overview of the poverty situation in Nigeria. Consequent upon this, the inauguration of the MDGs, which represents an attempt at combating poverty through global partnership for development, appears to constitute the key to Nigeria's escape from poverty trap. The paper examines evolving poverty profile and the challenges of actualizing the Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria. It is a shocking paradox that a significant proportion of Nigeria's population is poor despite its enormous wealth. The paper therefore critically examines the problems and prospects of achieving a remarkable reduction in Nigeria's poverty profile within the framework of the MDGs. This paper analyses the effect of eradicating poverty in Nigeria via the instrumentality of the MDGs. It recommends the formulation and implementation of policies that can overcome the institutional constraints that militate against actualization of the Millennium Development Goals of eradicating poverty in Nigeria within the targeted time frame. The paper concludes that government at various levels must come up with genuine poverty reduction programme if the challenges of poverty must be tackled.