Insecurity takes the Lead as the Key Driver of Poverty in Nigeria: Study Reveals

This Policy Brief draws on a NISER Study on the effects of insecurity on household livelihoods and poverty in Nigeria.

The conflict-poverty trap explanation of poverty is fast gaining ground, particularly in poor conflict-prone countries of the world (World Bank, 2023), This is the notion that, once a country experiences conflict and
insecurity, it faces a reversal of economic development, which in turn increases the likelihood of further conflict, resulting in a cycle economists refer to as doom-loop (Collier et al., 2003). By undermining household
livelihood activities on massive scales in Nigeria, increasing insecurity in the last 5 years has not only
intensified poverty in the country but has also opened up new frontiers of multidimensional poverty across the country. The catalytic role of insecurity in poverty in Nigeria and what should be done to address the situation are highlighted in this policy brief.