Skills Acquisition and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria: The Open Link

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Authors: Shuaibu Shehu Kura, Akilu Aliyu Shinkafi, Sani Yahaya, Ibrahim Muhammad Babbuli, Abdullahi Ahmed, Lawan Yusuf Saleh, Yusuf Ibrahim Karaye

Abstract

Hunger, insecurity and other forms of deprivations are among developmental issues that continue to demand the attention of the government, international donor agencies and well-meaning individuals in Nigeria. Chronic poverty is very visible in the country despite its enormous resources-both human and natural. And the uncomfortable truth is the poverty situation keeps worsening every day. Different administrations have used immense amount of resources in an attempt to set the country free of poverty with little success. This paper seeks to examine how skills acquisition via technical education helps in reducing the poverty level and lead to economic growth in Nigeria. Authors therefore employed content analysis for the data generated via secondary sources using the theory of cumulative and cyclical interdependencies as the paper’s theoretical framework. It is our finding that much success has not been achieved in the fight against poverty in the country despite several poverty alleviation programs that have been implemented; and the widely government acclaimed economic growth is theoretically symbolic. However, it is generally believed that if due commitment is given; skills acquisition can lead to self reliance, enhance productivity, alleviate poverty and result in genuine economic growth. The paper found that skills acquisition is an indispensable tool for fighting unemployment and poverty; and lead to increased productivity and economic growth. Authors therefore recommended that both governments and global development partners in the fight against poverty should emphasize on skills acquisition in their strategies for ending the scourge.

Keywords: Open Link, Poverty Alleviation, Skills acquisition