T his s tu dy ex a min ed t h e eff ect of a cces s t o micr o- cr ed it on p ov er t y s t a tu s of r ura l
hou s eh ol ds in O b a femi-O w o d e L G A i n O gu n s t a t e, emp l oy i ng da t a coll ect ed fr o m
9 4 ra nd o mly s el ect ed hou s eho l ds in t h e s t u dy a r ea . Da ta wer e a na lys ed w it h t h e a id
of F G T p ov er t y i n d ex a n d t h e L o git r egr es s i o n mo d el. T he r es u lt s of d escript iv e
a na lys is r ev ea l t ha t ma jor it y of t h e p oor h ou s eh ol ds in t h e s t u d y a r ea w er e la r ge
s iz ed, ma l e h ea d ed wit h n o f or ma l edu c a t ion a nd n o a cc es s t o cr edit . T he h ea d
cou nt p o v er t y i n d ex a ls o r ev ea ls t ha t a b ou t 3 5 p er cent of hou s eho l ds i n t h e s t u d y
ar ea w er e p oor , s u b s is t ing b el o w t h e p o v er t y l i n e of 6 , 2 7 9. 3 3 na ira p er ca p it a p er
mo nt h. T he ec o n o met r ic a na lys is s h o ws t ha t a ge, h ou s eh ol d s iz e, s eco n da r y a nd
t er t iar y edu ca t io n of h ou s eh o ld h ea d, a cces s t o cr ed it a nd s ect or of p r ima r y
occu p a t ion of t h e h ou s eh ol d h ea d w er e t h e s ig n ifi ca nt fa ct or s t hat d et er min e
p ov er t y s t at u s in t he s t u dy a r ea . T he s t u dy co nc lu d es t ha t p ov er t y r edu ct i o n i n t h e
r ura l ar ea s r equ ir es eff ect iv e t a r get in g wit h edu ca t io na l p r ogr a mmes a n d mos t
i mp or ta nt ly, a va ila b ilit y a n d a cces s ib i lit y of r ura l hou s eh o l ds t o cr ed it fa cilit i es i n
or d er t o i mp r ov e t h eir i nc o me ea r nin g op p or t u nit i es t h er eb y en ha nc in g t h eir
w elfa r e.