This study examined poverty reduction and SDGs in rural areas in Nigeria with reference to selected local government areas in Enugu State. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design and made use of both primary and secondary sources of data. The population of the study was 722,664 people of the three local government areas selected to represent Enugu State, while the sample size was 400 derived via Taro Yamani formula size determination. The cluster sampling technique was applied to select the sample from the population of the study, while the data collected were presented and analyzed using frequency percentage and chi-square (X2) analysis. The study revealed a number of factors contributing to increasing rate of poverty in the rural areas in Nigeria –corruption, debt burden, unemployment, overdependence on oil, lack of political will, ethno-religious conflicts among others. The study also revealed the challenges of implementing SDGs to reduce poverty in rural areas in Nigeria –endemic corruption, lack of effective policies, lack of accountability, insecurity, poor infrastructure among others. The study discovered the SDGs based rural poverty reduction strategic framework in place for rural areas in Nigeria to include job creation, adequate budgetary allocation, integrated rural development program, provision of basic needs, creation of awareness, adoption of the basic needs strategy, full integration of the rural poor, targeting among others. Finally, the study also revealed bottom-up approach, capacity acquisition, provision of infrastructure, inter-agency cooperation, objective targeting among others as measures to efficient implementation of SDGs in rural poverty reduction in Nigeria. Based on these findings, the researchers recommended that the Nigerian government should address the issues of poverty reduction programs via effective implementation of poverty reduction related program/policies among others.
Keywords: Development, Poverty, Poverty Reduction, Rural Area, SDGs
