Stakeholders across key economic sectors from four North-Central states on Thursday in Abuja commenced a two-day workshop to examine Nigeria’s poverty index and explore its application in budgeting, policy formulation and economic planning.

The workshop, organised by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in collaboration with Pinches Multi-Services Limited, attracted participants from Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau and the FCT, including statisticians, budget officers, development planners and academics.

Speaking at the opening, Oluwafemi Sadibo, principal consultant at Pinches Multi-Services Limited and workshop convener, said the initiative aimed to broaden stakeholders’ understanding of poverty measurement beyond income metrics.

He noted that findings from various national and international surveys had consistently shown that poverty in Nigeria remained widespread and multidimensional.

According to him, a clearer understanding of the poverty index—especially the Multidimensional Poverty Index—will help governments make informed decisions on resource allocation and development priorities.

Mr Sadibo explained that the MPI captures deprivations across critical sectors such as health, education and living standards, thereby providing a more holistic picture of poverty.

“Understanding the poverty index will guide better budget allocation and ensure that resources are directed to areas of greatest need. When resources are allocated equitably and efficiently, it will ultimately contribute to reducing poverty levels across the country,” he said.

He added that the workshop would facilitate knowledge exchange among participants from various states, with the goal of strengthening institutional capacity for data-driven planning.

Mr Sadibo said participants were expected to cascade the knowledge gained to relevant stakeholders and communities, thereby improving public awareness and fostering collective responsibility in tackling poverty.

He called on the federal government to sustain and scale up similar initiatives across other regions of the country, noting that increased awareness and the effective use of statistical data would enhance national efforts to reduce poverty.

Isa Muhammad of the Department of Economics at the University of Abuja said that about 83 million Nigerians were classified as multidimensionally poor in the 2022 MPI report. He described the figure as significant and indicative of the urgent need for targeted interventions.

Mr Muhammad identified living standards as a dominant factor driving poverty disparities across states, noting that issues such as inadequate housing, lack of access to clean water and electricity, poor sanitation, and limited access to healthcare contributed significantly to multidimensional poverty.

He also highlighted other contributing factors, including low levels of education, infrastructural deficits, food insecurity and unemployment.

Mr Muhammad restated the need for evidence-based policymaking, stressing that accurate data and proper interpretation of poverty indicators were critical to designing effective interventions.

Peter Siyan, also of the Department of Economics at the University of Abuja, said the workshop was aimed at shedding more light on the concept and drivers of multidimensional poverty.

He explained that poverty should not be viewed solely from the perspective of income or consumption, but rather as a condition characterised by multiple deprivations affecting individuals’ quality of life.

Mr Siyan further stressed that tackling poverty required coordinated efforts across sectors, including improvements in education, healthcare, infrastructure, employment generation and security. He noted that without addressing these underlying factors, efforts to reduce poverty would yield limited results.

(NAN)