International Journal of
Peace and Development Studies

  • Abbreviation: Int. J. Peace and Dev. Stud
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-6621
  • DOI: 10.5897/IJPDS
  • Start Year: 2010
  • Published Articles: 103

Article in Press

Poverty alleviation in Nigeria: The role of the church in Nigerian context

Otobrise Endurance Avwerosuo

  •  Received: 07 April 2017
  •  Accepted: 21 June 2017
The paper reflects on the role of the churches in the Nigerian government’s programmes to eradicate poverty. It considers the issue of justice, especially as it relates to the responsibility of church and government toward the poor. Some guidelines are also provided by which churches may evaluate programmes designed to help the poor. It observes that the churches, by virtue of their moral, spiritual and constitutional mandate, have the responsibility to engage and have been successfully engaging in poverty issues even without government assistance. The paper concludes that government should work in partnership with the churches, this will increase the chances of success of its (government’s) poverty eradication programmes because churches have the potential to become major catalysts for grassroots economic development in Nigeria.

Keywords: Poverty alleviation, role, church, economic development, Nigeria.