NATIONAL SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMME (NSIP) AND SUSTAINABLE REDUCTION OF POVERTY IN NIGERIA, 2016-2021

The desire to reduce consistent and phenomenal rise in kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, cybercrime as well as inter-religious cum communal conflicts et cetera which are believed to have been caused by increasing hunger, poverty, unemployment and so on gave birth to the introduction of National Social Investment Programme (NSfPJ in Nigeria in 2016. Several years thereafter, the ideals that brought it into existence do not seem to have been achieved, going by available records. This paper therefore assesses the extent to which the various suites (components) ofNSiPhave impacted on various dimensions of poverty in the country from 2016-2021. The investigation was guided by capability theory and data thereto generated from secondary sources. Findings reveal quite clearly that poverty and other associated challenges rose exponentially and sustainably during the period under review, it was equally found out that corruption among ofFicials thereof undid NSIP greatly Moreover, growing poverty across the country fuelled the spectre of political apathy thereby undermining one of NS IP's mandate of promoting political participation in the affairs of Nigeria. To reverse the challenges of NSIP and place the countiy on the path of sustainable poverty reduction, it is hereby suggested thus: Civil Society Organizations and other stakeholders should step up their activities to ensure aggressive mobilization of Nigerians, especially the poor to participate actively in socio-political affairs of the country thereby promoting accountability and transparency in governance. Banning of Nigerians found to be corrupt from holding any public office for life will go a long way in also promoting good governance in the country and thus reduce poverty sustainably