E-ISSN 2281-4612 ISSN 2281-3993 Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy Vol 3 No 4 July 2014 295 Policy Implementation and The Challenges of Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria Aminu, Isa Department of Political Science, Federal University Lokoja, Nigeria P.M.B 1154, Lokoja, Kogi State. isaminu2013@gmail.com Onimisi, Timothy Department of Political Science, Federal University Lokoja, Nigeria P.M.B 1154, Lokoja, Kogi State. timothyonimisi@yahoo.com Doi:10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n4p295 Abstract The rising profile of poverty in Nigeria has been a source of concern to successive government. To this end, various policies and programmes have been formulated to no avail. Today Nigeria ranked among poorest nations in the world. This is embarrassing considering the enormous wealth of the nation both in human and natural resources. This paper assesses government programmes and policies related to poverty in Nigeria using secondary source of data through content analysis. It was found that the policies and programme have failed to achieve the desired result due to high level of corruption, Top-bottom approach in tackling poverty, inadequate co-ordination of various programmes, politicization of poverty alleviation schemes as well as inconsistency in policies and programmes. It therefore recommended that Anti- corruption Agencies should be streamlined, the adoption of bottom-up approach, de-politicization of empowerment scheme as well as continuity, consistency and commitment for effective implementation. Keywords: Poverty, Poverty Alleviation; Policy Implementation 1. Introduction Worried by the continued rise in poverty level, successively government in Nigeria have not relented in formulating one policy or the other in order to tame this social malaise. But, the poverty level has continued to rise. The sorry state of poverty in Nigeria has led the World Bank (1996) to describe Nigeria as a paradox. This is because Nigeria is a country of immense wealth endowed with human and material resources, yet her citizens continue to wallow in abject poverty. By 1999, the World Bank estimated that Nigeria has earned $300 billion from oil. Between1999 and 2011, the country netted nearly $300billion in oil and gas. In spite of growth indications as a result of these inflows over the years, Nigeria currently ranked among the poorest countries in the world (World Bank, 2010). Available records indicate that poverty level among Nigerian’s population has risen from 17.1 million in 1980 to 112.47 million in 2010 an increase of over 55.7% Sokoto and Niger State top the list of poorest state in Nigeria with a records of other 71.5 percent of poverty rate, and Northwest and the Northeast records 77.7% and 76.3% respectively. While the South West has the least poverty level of 59.10% on a whole, the poverty level average 70% of the population (NBS, 2010). Various Programmes and schemes have been initiated by successive government in Nigeria to tame this social malaise without success as records indicate that poverty has continue to rise unabated. This paper therefore seeks to appraise these policies with a view of proffering solution to meet these challenges of government in Nigeria. 2. Conceptual Clarification There is no universally accepted definition of poverty. Thus, Idakwoji (2002) is of the view that poverty is a multi- dimensional phenomenon covering economic, social and political dimension. From economic perspective, it implies materials deprivation leading to low income, lack of basic necessities of life. From the social view point, poverty manifest in terms of social inferiority, low status, lack of dignity, insanity, vulnerability and social marginalization. Politically, poverty is manifested in lack of political power, form decision- making and denial of basic natural and political input (Idakwoji,