Women and Poverty Alleviation Programmes in Nigeria: The Napep Approach

Abstract

Nigeria had embarked on many policies and programmes to reduce poverty and create job opportunities for her citizenry especially, among women. One of such programmes is the Capacity Acquisition Programme (CAP) under the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP). This study did an empirical assessment of the Capacity Acquisition Programme in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Ibadan Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive survey design of the ex-post facto type. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 256 women who participated in NAPEP Capacity Acquisition Programme in year 2008. “Women empowerment scale” (r = 0.87) was used for data collection. These were complimented with 4 sessions of Focus Group Discussion (FGDs). Two hypotheses were tested at 0.01 level of significance. Data were analysed using multiple regression. NAPEP’s empowerment programme influenced women socio-economic empowerment (r = -195 N = 250, P < 01) and (r = 267** N = 250, P < 01). However, national poverty eradication capacity acquisition programme influenced women’s economic empowerment negatively because NAPEP did not credit facilities to the beneficiaries. Government, donor agencies non-governmental organizations should provide more centres, credit facilities to beneficiaries, encourage women mainstreaming and put in place proper monitoring and evaluation of such programmes

DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2013.v2n3p515