HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND POVERTY REDUCTION AMONG THE BENEFICIAIRIES OF SKILLS ACQUISITION TRAINING PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The twin challenges of poverty and homelessness is a wicked problem in Nigeria. Thus, some
government programmes target solving the two via a single intervention. Borno State Government
has implemented a programme of capacity building with sub-goal of housing improvement. This
study examined Borno State’s Skills Acquisition Programme and its impact on the housing
affordability of the beneficiaries in Nigeria. A mixed approach was utilised to collect data from the
beneficiaries of the programme. Panel data and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with 8
participants formed the data which was analysed using narrative technique –for the qualitative
data, and regression analysis –for the quantitative data. The result indicates that skills acquired
had impacted on the incomes of the beneficiaries. The result further revealed that skills acquisition
had positively impacted on the beneficiaries housing affordability. While, welding is shown to be
the skill that recorded the most positive statistical result on housing acquisition by the
beneficiaries. From the results found, the study concludes that Borno State’s Skills Acquisition
Programme has enabled its beneficiaries to earn income, ameliorate poverty and acquire housing.
This study recommends sustaining the programme and expanding it to target broader beneficiaries.