UNIVERSITY EDUCATION AND POVERTY DYNAMICSLINKAGESIN NIGERIA: A STATE LEVEL ANALYSIS USING LOGIT AND PROBIT MODELS

Poverty is said to exist when people lack the means to satisfy their basic needs. Thus, improving the educational attainment of the population is an important requirement to reduce poverty amid the populace and foster development. However, Nigeria with her wealth, still facing enormous challenge in effort made at national level to reduce poverty. The aim and objective of this study is to give insight into the factors that affect or influence poverty in spite of attainment of university education in Nigeria. Percentage data from thirty-six States of the country including the Federal Capital territory Abuja were collated and analyzed through a qualitative response model design. Results from the Probit and Logit models used for analysis reveal that of all variables analyzed, only percentage of household heads with poor educational background was significant at 5% level for all variables analyzed. This indicates a situation that a state with degree educational level of household heads as 0.2 percent, is more likely to be poor when compared to non-poor degree educational level of household head. However, in other way to reduce effect of poverty on educated households, it is recommended that various states’ government should provide graduates with the training and support necessary to help them establish a career in small and medium sized busines