187 Malaysian Management Journal, 26 (July) 2022, pp: 187–214 How to cite this article: Sani, H. B-K., Soon, J. J., & Cheah, Y. K. (2022). The role of the national economic empowerment and development strategy (NEEDS) educational policy in poverty reduction in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Malaysian Management Journal, 26(July), 187 - 214. https://doi.org/10.32890/mmj2022.26.8 THE ROLE OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (NEEDS) EDUCATIONAL POLICY IN POVERTY REDUCTION IN SOKOTO STATE, NIGERIA 1 Haruna Birnin-Kebbi Sani, 2 Soon Jan-Jan & 3 Cheah Yong Kang 1 Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, Nigeria 2&3 School of Economics, Finance and Banking, Universiti Utara Malaysia 1 Corresponding author: saniharuna33bk@gmail.com Received: 8/5/2022 Revised: 8/6/2022 Accepted: 22/6/2021 Published: 31/7/2022 ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) programme on poverty reduction in Sokoto State of North-western Nigeria, through the channels of the education policy. A total of 826 responses from 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) were received through a structured questionnaire. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics and the binary logit regression model. It is found that the NEEDS has had a signifcant impact on the education of the participating households, http://e-journal.uum.edu.my/index.php/ijbf INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BANKING AND FINANCE http://e-journal.uum.edu.my/index.php/mmj MALAYSIAN MANAGEMENT JOURNAL