INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND POVERTY REDUCTION IN NIGERIA, 2019 – 2024
This study examines the impact of international trade on poverty reduction in Nigeria between 2019 and 2024, with particular emphasis on trade diversification in non-oil sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing. Nigeria’s heavy dependence on crude oil exports has continued to expose the economy to external shocks, limiting inclusive growth and effective poverty reduction. Against this backdrop, the study adopts a quantitative survey research design to assess how trade diversification, infrastructural development, and social protection measures influence poverty outcomes in Nigeria. Data were collected from 400 respondents using a structured questionnaire and analyzed through descriptive statistics and chi-square techniques. The study is anchored on the Trade and Development Theory and Dependency Theory, which provide a theoretical basis for understanding the role of international trade in development and structural inequality in developing economies. The findings reveal strong public support for trade diversification as a critical pathway for poverty reduction, employment generation and sustainable national development. The results further indicate that improvements in infrastructure significantly enhance Nigeria’s participation in international trade, while effective social protection measures play a vital role in ensuring that trade benefits are equitably distributed, particularly among vulnerable populations.The study concludes that international trade can contribute meaningfully to poverty reduction in Nigeria when it is supported by diversified non-oil exports, adequate infrastructure, and inclusive social protection frameworks. However, without deliberate policies to address structural constraints and inequality, the poverty-reducing potential of trade remains limited. Based on these conclusions and findings, the study recommends sustained investment in agriculture and manufacturing, improved infrastructural development, expansion of social protection programmes, and the adoption of inclusive trade and economic policies to ensure equitable distribution of trade benefits and long-term national transformation.
Keywords: Economic Policies, International trade , Poverty Reduction . Nigeria
