Violent conflicts across Northern Nigeria are worsening poverty levels and reducing the ability of households to recover from economic hardship, according to a new report unveiled in Abuja.

The report, titled “Insecurity, Livelihoods and Welfare in Northern Nigeria,” identified three major security challenges affecting the region: Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency in the North-East, farmer-herder clashes in the North-Central zone, and banditry and kidnapping in the North-West.

The findings were presented during a high-level webinar organised by the Chronic Poverty Advisory Network (CPAN) of the Institute of Development Studies, United Kingdom, the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)-supported Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) project.

Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, participated in the event and reflected on the implications of the report for the ministry’s One Humanitarian–One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS) policy.

Presenting the findings, CPAN Deputy Director, Dr. Vidya Diwakar, explained that the study examined how insecurity affects household welfare using data from the Nigeria Living Standards Survey 2022/23, the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2024, Armed Conflict Location and Event Data covering 2010 to 2025, as well as extensive field research conducted by dRPC.

According to the report, households in the North-East affected by Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks experienced significant declines in living standards. Families living in areas that recorded violent incidents within two years before the survey spent between 8 and 14 percent less per adult compared to unaffected households. Conflict-related debts accumulated since 2009 further reduced household expenditure by an additional 8 to 13 percent.

The study also found that farmer-herder conflicts had the most severe impact on near-poor households in North-Central Nigeria. Households in this category recorded a 14 percent drop in expenditure, representing the largest welfare decline observed in the research.

In the North-West, where banditry and kidnapping remain widespread, affected households suffered expenditure losses ranging from 4 to 11 percent, particularly among moderately poor families.

Despite these challenges, the report highlighted livelihood diversification as one of the most effective pathways out of poverty. Households that combined farming, non-farming activities, and small businesses demonstrated stronger resilience to economic shocks and conflict-related disruptions.

Researchers described income diversification as the most consistent protective factor across all three conflict zones. However, only 13 percent of household heads in Northern Nigeria currently engage in multiple income-generating activities.

The report further revealed that education improves the ability of households to diversify their income sources. However, women- and youth-headed households, which make up nearly 29 percent of households in the region, continue to face greater barriers to economic resilience.

Experts who reviewed the findings, including SPRiNG Team Lead Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo, Plateau State Peace Building Agency Director Dr. Julie Sanda, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Chieftaincy Matters, Abba Waziri, stressed the need to connect peace-building efforts with livelihood recovery programmes.

They argued that restoring economic opportunities and strengthening local livelihoods are essential for reducing vulnerability and achieving lasting peace in communities affected by conflict.

The stakeholders also emphasised the importance of empowering traditional rulers and community leaders through training and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen grassroots peace-building efforts.

Closing the webinar, dRPC Executive Director Dr. Judith-Ann Walker commended the FCDO for supporting the research and praised the Federal Government’s commitment to evidence-based poverty reduction policies.

She also highlighted the ministry’s OHOPRS framework, which seeks to streamline humanitarian and poverty reduction interventions through what she described as “one system, one register and one pathway.”

The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working with stakeholders and researchers to improve poverty reduction programmes, particularly for women and young people who often face exclusion from economic support initiatives.