Don decries rural poverty, urges policy overhaul

A Professor of Agricultural Economics at the University of Ibadan, Prof Taiwo Awoyemi, has said Nigeria’s poverty alleviation policies remain ineffective, warning that persistent rural poverty, particularly among women, continues to undermine economic development.

Awoyemi made this assertion while delivering the 610th inaugural lecture on behalf of the Faculty of Agriculture at the Trenchard Hall of the institution. The lecture was titled, “Nigeria in Persistent Struggle: Nuisance of Unfaithfulness to the Trio of Economic Development.”

He noted that although Nigeria has recorded progress under the National Gender Policy in Agriculture, there are still significant gaps in its practical implementation.

“I make bold to say that as long as poverty remains in the rural sector, particularly among the women, poverty alleviation policies are not effective. Although Nigeria has made progress with the National Gender Policy in Agriculture, significant gaps remain in its practical implementation.

“Thus, gender-responsive policy thrust should move beyond gender-neutral frameworks to actively address the systemic barriers women face in land ownership, financial access, and extension services,” Awoyemi said.

The professor identified what he described as unfaithfulness to the trio of economic development—endemic poverty, high inequality, and low growth—as a major impediment to Nigeria’s progress.

He stressed that spatial poverty remains a critical issue that has received little attention from policymakers, urging the government to prioritise pro-poor growth strategies that enable the poor to participate in and benefit from economic expansion.

Awoyemi noted that despite recorded economic growth, the benefits have not been equitably distributed, leaving many rural households trapped in poverty due to limited access to social amenities and employment opportunities. He added that Nigeria ranks among countries with one of the widest gaps between the rich and the poor.

According to him, building a vibrant middle class is essential for sustainable economic development, as it serves as a stabilising force in the economy.

He advocated policies aimed at strengthening the middle-income group through measures such as protecting purchasing power against inflation, ensuring structural stability in employment-generating sectors, supporting small and medium enterprises with credit and infrastructure, expanding non-farm business opportunities, improving access to education, and investing in digital skills.

Awoyemi also criticised policy inconsistencies, noting that frequent changes and reversals driven by government officials often weaken the effectiveness of economic interventions.

“When the government fails to adequately define its roles in interventions, it sometimes leads to policy juggling, policy instability, and perennial creation of a large class of unintended consequences and unintended beneficiaries of policy goals, which tend to limit the success of the policy,” he said.

He emphasised that sustained commitment to economic growth, inequality reduction, and poverty eradication is necessary for meaningful transformation, warning that neglecting any of these elements could undermine development efforts.

He further observed that economic growth in Nigeria has not translated into improved welfare for the poor, despite rapid population growth.

“While growth is essential for poverty reduction, a strategy that relies solely on it is flawed in several respects,” he said.

He added that sustaining reforms aimed at reducing inflation, strengthening government revenues, and channelling savings from subsidy removals into inclusive, pro-growth spending would be critical to achieving shared prosperity.