期刊名称：The Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa (JSDA)
电子版ISSN：1520-5509
出版年度：2010
卷号：12
期号：6
出版社：Institute of Sustainable Development in Africa
摘要：This study is focused on the identification of critical factors that cause poverty in Nigeria and the investigation of the
extent to which microfinance institutions have helped in the alleviation of poverty. To identify the critical factors, the
researcher adapts the data on reasons for poverty generated by National Bureau of Statistics and employed the method of
factor analysis. For the purpose of investigating the contribution made by the microfinance institutions in poverty
reduction, the researcher uses the method of regression analysis on a quadratic equation model which is found to be most
appropriate in explaining the variations between the two variables. Also, the microfinance – poverty trend is presented
for analysis. The result of the analysis identifies five factors: low profit, prices of commodities are too high, hard
economic times, lack of finance to start or expend their business, and business not doing well, as critical factors causing
poverty. The analysis also reveals that the impact of microfinance on poverty in Nigeria can be explained in two phases.
The first phase, the take-off stage, sees poverty as increasing though at a decreasing rate as microfinance credit increases.
In the second phase, precisely starting from the year 2001, persistent increase in microfinance credit reduces drastically
the poverty index in Nigeria. Thus, currently, microfinance credit lowers poverty in Nigeria. The researcher therefore,
calls on the monetary authorities to put in place the financial superstructure necessary for making mandatory the
establishment of microfinance banks in every community, if poverty will be aggressively fought
