Exploring the Dynamics of Social Networks for Poverty Reduction in Bauchi State of Nigeria

Abstract

Poverty remains a global jeopardy despite the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals declarations as promulgated by the United Nations Organization and other social networks. Accordingly, the situation in Nigeria indicated that over a hundred and ten million people are suffering from the scourge of this phenomenon. While the Multidimensional Poverty Indicators, reported that Bauchi state in particular recorded 89.5 shortfalls across health, education and living standard. Hence, this study explored the dynamics of social networks of associations in reducing poverty in the study area. In achieving this, therefore, a qualitative research design was applied and the data was collected from twenty-two informants via the semi-structured interview design. Subsequently, the targeted population comprises of the stakeholders in poverty reduction, the government officials, NGOs and other identified underprivileged people via Purposive sampling design. Consequently, findings from the study indicated that capacity building and social support; cooperative societies; intervention and participatory in addition to people oriented approaches were the strategies applied by the social networks in reducing poverty. Recommendations were offered to policy makers for implementation and these include provision of finance, renovation of schools in addition to the expansion health centers as well as agribusiness initiatives among others.