This study investigated the poverty status of women microfinance loan beneficiaries and non-loan beneficiaries in Owerri, Imo State. A representative sample was selected through a random sampling technique. The sample size was 151 (80 loan beneficiaries and 71 non- loan beneficiaries). Data for this study were collected with the aid of two sets of structured and pre-tested questionnaire administered to the loan beneficiaries and non-loan beneficiaries of the formal credit institutions in the State respectively. The results indicated that incidence of poverty was 22.68 for loan beneficiaries and 28.78 for non-loan beneficiaries; poverty gap was 6.31 for loan beneficiaries and 8.52 non-loan beneficiaries. The result of the t-test showed that poverty status of loan beneficiaries differed significantly from poverty status of non-loan beneficiaries as a result of the positive effect of microfinance lending policies. Microfinance banks should increase the funds disbursed to women as it will go a long way in poverty reduction.
Keywords: Microfinance, Poverty Status, Women
