Title: Microcredit and household poverty status in rural Nigeria: experience from selected agencies in Ekiti State

Authors: I.B. Oluwatayo

Addresses: Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Services, University of Ado-Ekiti, P.M.B. 5363, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract: There is no gainsaying the fact that microcredit has become a veritable tool amongst all the poverty alleviating schemes employed by various governments at both national and international levels. This is attributable to its accessibility and the non-inclusion of stringent measures required of credit acquisition from the formal financial institutions. Again, the less daunting formalities that usually keep the very poor away from harnessing credit facilities make it a good avenue for augmenting available cash to meet all necessary obligations by most households in rural areas. This study therefore tries to unravel how accessibility to microcredit has helped to cushion the effect of poverty in Ekiti State, Nigeria.

Keywords: microcredit; well-being; informal financial institutions; development initiatives; Nigeria; emerging markets; household poverty; rural communities; government policies; credit; poverty alleviation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEM.2010.029745

International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets, 2010 Vol.2 No.1, pp.77 - 90

Published online: 01 Dec 2009 *

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