Resource allocation, weaponised poverty, and deviant economies in Nigeria

This article examined the implications of resource allocation for weaponised poverty and deviant economies in Nigeria. It used a quantitative method to collect data from 600 respondents randomly selected from three of the existing six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Through purposive sampling, it selected 12 in-depth interview respondents to obtain complementary qualitative data that were content analysed. The logistic regression analysis indicated a significant relationship between resource allocation and weaponised poverty in Nigeria (ß = 2.095 P value < .001). The article concludes that the presence of resources in each state of Nigeria undermines the politics of ethnic entitlement. To prevent more citizens from sliding into poverty, it suggests a paradigm shift from the political resource allocation formula (PRAF) to an equitable resource allocation formula (ERAF) alternative or an admixture of ERAF and concessional resources allocation formula (CRAF).