Abstract
The paper reviewed Nigerian government policy initiatives towards poverty alleviation over the years
and the challenges which rendered the policies ineffective. In spite of its abundant endowment in human
and natural resources, Nigeria has been classified, not only as a poor nation, but one of the poorest in the
world. However, the successive governments of the country right from 1972 have made poverty
alleviation the central focus of their socio-economic reforms and have thus spent billions of naira on
poverty alleviation programmes. This notwithstanding, about 70 percent of the country’s population still
contend with extreme poverty and hunger due to corruption, lack of sustainability, poor policy
formulation and implementation, among others. The paper observed that this situation is capable of
threatening the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals in the country by 2015. The study
concluded by recommending sustainable development, accountability, transparency, consistent policies
on agricultural development and minimal politicization of anti-poverty policies as panacea to the
challenges observed. The study was descriptive and data obtained through secondary sources while the
analysis was qualitative.
