Nigeria has the largest economy on the African continent. Ironically, the country also harbours some of the poorest people in the world with as many as 69 percent of the population living below the poverty line.
This vast incidence of poverty in the midst of plenty has severally been linked to the endemic corruption in the country.
It is for this reason that ActionAid Nigeria commissioned a “Study of the Relationship Between Poverty and Corruption in Nigeria”. This study examines the relationship between poverty, corruption and social crisis. It has as its prioritised objectives: examination of the relationship between the growing cases of corruption and poverty in Nigeria; analysis of how corruption affects different segments of the society; and the implication of these findings for social development. It also documents what people consider as corruption and what influences their existing perceptions with the aim of better understanding the factors responsible for the entrenchment of corruption.
While the main thrust of the project is exploring how corruption impacts poverty, it also prioritises identifying more effective ways of sustainably reducing poverty levels in the country. Thus it pays detailed attention to identifying effective ways of engaging national and local policies, developing effective strategy for engaging the general populace in the fight against corruption, and raising awareness of the relevance of such action towards poverty eradication.
The report aims to serve as a resource material for the executive, legislatures and other policy makers in acting on issues of corruption and poverty in Nigeria, both in the present and in the future. ActionAid also anticipates that the report will be relevant to further studies on the subject of the research; that academics as well as other researchers will find the literature useful.
The full report can be downloaded for free using the link in the bottom right of this page.