Anatomy of Poverty and Structural Barriers to Economic Empowerment in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates the paradox of persistent poverty in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta, despite extensive economic empowerment initiatives. Framed through a Marxian political economy lens, the research conceptualises poverty as a chronic systemic ailment misdiagnosed by tokenistic interventions. Employing qualitative content analysis of secondary data, it identifies governance deficits, environmental degradation, youth exclusion, and institutional dysfunction as key structural barriers to economic empowerment. Findings reveal that most empowerment efforts are palliative, exclusionary, and unsustainable due to lack of community participation and accountability. The study concludes that economic disempowerment in the Niger Delta is rooted in political marginalisation, palliative approach, and rentier-state dynamics. Therefore, decentralisation of resource governance, inclusive decision-making, ecological restoration, and youth-focused diversification strategies are recommended. The research advocates for rights-based, locally driven development frameworks that confront structural inequities rather than alleviate symptoms of poverty.