Insecurity in Northern Nigeria deepens poverty, weakens household resilience, report finds

A new report, "Insecurity, Livelihoods and Welfare in Northern Nigeria," reveals that violent conflicts across northern Nigeria are exacerbating poverty and hindering households' ability to recover from economic shocks. The study identifies three main forms of insecurity: Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency in the North-East, farmer-herder conflicts in the North-Central, and banditry and kidnapping in the North-West. Households in the North-East affected by Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks experienced an 8 to 14 percent lower expenditure per adult equivalent, with conflict-related debt since 2009 leading to an additional 8 to 13 percent expenditure loss. Farmer-herder clashes in the North-Central resulted in a 14 percent drop in expenditure for near-poor households, while banditry and kidnapping in the North-West were linked to 4 to 11 percent expenditure losses, particularly among moderately poor households. The report, presented by CPAN Deputy Director Dr. Vidya Diwakar, highlights livelihood diversification as the most effective strategy for building resilience, though only 13 percent of household heads in Northern Nigeria currently pursue diversified income opportunities. Education also strengthens income diversification, but its benefits are weaker for women- and youth-headed households, which constitute 28.9 percent of the region's households. The findings were discussed at a webinar convened by the Chronic Poverty Advisory Network of the Institute of Development Studies, the Devel