Title Page -- Table of Contents -- Foreword -- Preface -- CHAPTER ONE THE CONCEPT OF POVERTY AND ITS VARIOUS DIMENSIONS -- Defining the Concept of Poverty -- Theories of Poverty -- Dimensions of Poverty -- Race and Gender Dimensions of Poverty -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER TWO POVERTY: CAUSES, NATURE AND MEASUREMENT -- Introduction -- Literature Review and Theoretical Issues -- Empirical Literature -- Causes of Poverty -- Characteristics of Poor -- Poverty Measurement/Indicators -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER THREE POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: C.1900-1960 -- Introduction -- Statement of the Problem -- Poverty Alleviation in Pre-Colonial Northern Nigeria -- Poverty Alleviation in Colonial Northern Nigeria -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER FOUR POVERTY ALLEVIATION INITIATIVES IN NIGERIA: 'LEEMP' AS A REASSURING ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY -- Introduction -- Conceptual Issues and Poverty Indicators in Nigeria -- Poverty Alleviation Initiatives in Nigeria -- Local Empowerment and Environmental Management Project (LEEMP) -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER FIVE THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT AND WAR AGAINST POVERTY: VICTORY VERDICT, 1999 - 2007 -- Introduction -- A Review of Poverty Incidence in Nigeria -- Economic Mismanagement -- Table 1: Indicators of Size and Quality of Human Capital -- Table 2: Net Federal Revenue Allocation to oil Producing States and Ten other most Populated States in Nigeria* -- Table 3: States with the highest poverty incidence (po) in Nigeria -- Table 4: State with the lowest poverty incidence (po) in Nigeria -- Poor Infrastructure -- Table 5: Assessments of Condition of Classified Roads in Three Oil-Producing Countries -- Anti Poverty Programmes Before and DuringObasanjo's Regime -- Table 6: People living in poverty in Nigeria -- Table 7: Sector Contribution to GDP.

Table 8: Fuel for Cooking Used by Nigerians -- Table 9: GDP Growth and Inflation Rate 2002-2006 -- The Way Forward -- Economic Transformation -- Table 10 Country Structure of Production (% of GDP) -- Redirecting Local Government Administration -- Table 11: Net Federal Revenue Allocation to LGs in Selected States for 2006 -- Entrepreneurship Development -- Rethinking Agriculture -- Refocusing of Industrial Growth -- Growth of Formal Sectors -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER SIX STATE GOVERNMENTS AND THE WAR AGAINST POVERTY IN NIGERIA -- Introduction -- Literature Review -- Poverty Indicators in Nigeria -- Table 1: Socio-Economic Indices in Nigeria -- Characteristics of Poverty in Nigeria -- Table 2: Revenue Generation in Nigeria by Different Tiers of Government -- Global War Against Poverty -- War Against Poverty in Nigeria -- State Governments and the War Against Poverty in Nigeria -- Natural Resources -- Mineral Resources -- Table 3: Different Solid Minerals and Their Possible Industrial Uses -- Agricultural Resources -- Table 4: Agricultural Resource Endowments of States in Nigeria -- Human Resources -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER SEVEN REPOSITIONING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FOR THE POVERTY ERADICATION AGENDA IN NIGERIA -- Introduction -- The Concept of Poverty -- Figure 1: Symbiotic System of Poverty -- Poverty Eradication -- Antecedents of Poverty Eradication Initiatives in Nigeria -- The Imperative for Local Government Councils Involvement in Meaningful Poverty Eradication Initiative -- Strategies Towards Sustainable Role of Local Governments in Poverty Alleviation -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER EIGHT THE ROLE OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN THE WAR AGAINST POVERTY IN NIGERIA -- Introduction -- Socio-Economic Condition -- Specific Cases of Nigerian Business Community Response to the Society -- Conclusion -- References.

CHAPTER NINE THE ROLE OF THE MASS MEDIA IN THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY IN NIGERIA -- Introduction -- Methodology -- Literature Review -- Theoretical Framework: Development Media Theory -- Causes of Poverty in Nigeria -- Consequences of Poverty -- Media™s Intervention in the Fight Against Poverty -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER TEN ETHNO-RELIGIOUS CONFLICTS IN KANO STATE: POVERTY AS A MAJOR EXPLANATORY FACTOR -- Introduction -- Methodology -- Conceptualizing Poverty and Ethno-Religious conflicts -- Literature Review and Theoretical Framework -- Some Cases of Ethno-Religious Conflicts in Kano State -- Poverty as a Major Cause of Ethno-religious Conflicts in Kano State -- Table 1: Trends in Poverty Level by Zones (1980 - 2004) -- Table 2: Reasons for Frequent Occurrences of Ethno-Religious Crises in Kano -- Table 3: Reasons for the Direction of Attacks on Igbos and Christians in the 2001 Crisis -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER ELEVEN THE PROLONGED MILITARY RULE AND POVERTY EXACERBATION IN NIGERIA, 1984-1999 -- Introduction -- Conceptual Review: Military Rule and Poverty: -- Nigeria's Political History in Perspective -- Military Intervention In Nigerian Politics -- Table 1: The Number of Coups and the Tenure of Military Regimes in Nigeria's Political History -- Conceptual Overview of Poverty: The Problem of Definition -- Causes and Incidence of Poverty under Military Rule in Nigeria -- Table 2: National Poverty Level, 1980 - 2004. -- The Rise in Poverty Under Military Rule -- 1. The Cancer of Corruption -- 2. Frequent Policy Shifts Under the Military Rule -- 3. Political Transition Programmes -- Table 3: Summary of Allocation to Transition Agencies -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER TWELVE ENVIRONMENT-POVERTY NEXUS: OILEXPLORATION AND EXPLOITATION IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA -- Introduction.

Environment and Poverty: The Framework -- Environment and Economy in Nigeria -- Oil Explorations and Exploitation in Nigeria: A Historical Review -- Table 1: World Oil Reserves, Production and Export (2001) -- Oil Operations and Environmental Impact: A General Picture -- Environmental Impact of the Oil Industry in Niger-Delta -- The State and the Niger Delta Question -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER THIRTEEN ENVIRONMENT, CONFLICT, AND POVERTY IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION -- Introduction -- Agitation for Resource Control in the Niger Delta Region The Niger Delta Region -- Resource Control -- Vandalisation -- Kidnapping -- Dialogue -- Conflict Management -- Economic Incentive -- Partnership and Participation -- Military Option -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER FOURTEEN THE IMF/ WORLD BANK STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT PROGRAMME (SAP) AND POVERTY GENERATION: THE EXPERIENCE OF PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS IN NIGERIA -- Introduction -- Review of the Existing Literature on SAP and Workers in Nigeria -- Framework for the Understanding of the IMF/World Bank SAP and Poverty Among Workers -- IMF/ World Bank SAP and the Exacerbation of Poverty among the Public Sector Workers in Nigeria -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER FIFTEEN THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS ( MDGS) AND POVERTY IN NIGERIA: AN APPRAISAL -- Introduction -- Poverty as a Social Problem -- Poverty-Reduction Methods: MDGs and NEEDS in Perspectives -- The Millennium Development Goals -- 1. Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger -- 2. Achieve Universal Primary Education -- 3. Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women -- 4. Reduce Child Mortality -- 5. Improve Maternal Health -- 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Other Diseases -- 7. Ensure Environmental Sustainability -- 8. Develop a Global Partnership for Development -- National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy -- An Appraisal of MDGs and NEEDS.

MDGS: A Critical Examination -- NEEDS: A Critical Examination -- Mitigatory Pathways to Poverty Reduction in Nigeria -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER SIXTEEN POVERTY ALLEVIATION AS A MACHINERY FOR ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION IN NIGERIA -- Introduction -- Literature Review and Theoretical Issues Concept of Poverty -- Classification of Poverty -- Causes and Consequences of Poverty -- Approaches to Poverty Alleviation -- Economic Growth Approach -- Basic Needs Approach -- Rural Development Approach -- Target Approach -- Poverty Reduction Strategies in Nigeria -- The Pre-SAP Era -- The SAP Era -- Theoretical issues -- Comprehensiveness. -- Collaboration. -- Community Organizing. -- Appraisal of the Poverty Alleviation Programmes (1999 - 2006) -- The Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) -- Appraisal of Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) -- National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) -- Appraisal of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) -- Conclusion -- References -- CHAPTER SEVENTEEN TOWARDS A VIABLE POLICY FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION BY THE YEAR 2015 -- Introduction -- The Problem -- Objectives of the Chapter -- Methods -- Review of Contemporary Poverty Alleviation Programmes and Strategies in Nigeria -- A Brief Review of NAPEP -- A Brief Review of NEEDS -- Assessment of NAPEP, NEEDS and their Supporting Strategies -- Suggestions Towards a Viable Alleviation Policy in Nigeria -- Conclusion -- References -- SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY -- ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS -- INDEX.