Apart from presenting the poverty
profile, this paper examines the
correlates of poverty with multivariate
models that predict the probability of
being poor using data from the Nigerian
National Consumer Survey (NCS) of
2003/2004. The probability of a
household being poor was examined for
the nation as a whole, as well as maleheaded
and female-headed households
and for urban/rural geographical areas.
In particular, the variables that are
positively and significantly correlated
with the probability of being poor
nationally are: household size, lack of
education, residence in the North
Central zone, being single, and being a
Moslem. The variables that are
negatively and significantly correlated
with the probability of being poor are:
age of the household head, quadratic of
household size, residence in an urban
area, post-secondary (tertiary)
education attainment, being a Christian,
and residence in the south south,
southeast, south west, and north east
zones of the country. Based on the
results, we recommend a number of
policy interventions (including a broad
poverty reduction framework) necessary
to reduce poverty in Nigeria and similar
African countries.