POVERTY IN AFRICA REMAINS THE EFFECT OF CORRUPTION: A CASE STUDY OF PAUPERISM RATE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The aim of this research paper is to critically assess corruption as the cause of high rate of pauperism in Nigeria. Nigerians have seen a number of corrupt leaders who set up several conduit pipes for looting and embezzling of their state treasuries, thus the bringing misery of poverty on their people. This paper forward x-rayed the corrupt leaders’ programs and policies as relates to poverty in Nigeria using documentary method of data collection and content analysis. It also anchored on Urban-Bias theory propounded by Michael Lipton in the late 1970’s. However, it discovered that the policies and programs failed to achieve the desired results due to the high level of corruption and politicization of poverty alleviation schemes, as well as inconsistency in policies/programs. It therefore recommended that Anticorruption agencies should be streamlined together with de-politicization of empowerment schemes as well as consistency and commitment for effective policies/programs.