Insecurity, poor infrastructure fueling Nigeria’s rising rural poverty – Adeosun

Rising insecurity and the absence of supportive infrastructure have been identified as factors contributing to high poverty levels in Nigerian rural communities.

A recent World Bank report shows that about 75.5% of people in rural areas live below the poverty line. This is almost double the rate in urban areas, where 41.3% of the population faces similar challenges.

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Oluyemi Adeosun, chief economist at BusinessDay Newspaper, who spoke on the World Bank report, explained that outdated farming methods, poor infrastructure, and insecurity, like banditry and kidnapping, have combined to worsen living standards in most of Nigeria’s rural settings.

Adeosun, who was a guest on the BusinessDay Television (BDTV’s) Big Story segment on Monday, believed that modernising agriculture, providing better financial support for farmers, and involving local governments more could help turn the situation around.

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Although he acknowledged the efforts of the government and international donors in tackling poverty, he, nonetheless, pointed out that many targeted projects fell short because they didn’t meet the real needs of rural communities. He suggested they should focus on community-driven solutions, improve access to education, healthcare, and push for policies that support women and young people who play important roles in rural communities.