Causes of poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa: A layered theory approach to understanding significant factors

Majority of studies on Sub Saharan Africa approach poverty solely as a lack of income. We believe that poverty is more than an economic status and is inclusive of educational attainment and gender inequality, for example. Our study analyzed poverty under a unique approach, and in a departure from previous studies, delineates between economic factors; political factors; health factors; educational factors; cultural factors; and agricultural factors of poverty. The research span over a 20-year period (1990 to 2010) based on five-year intervals with a sample size of 46 Sub- Saharan African countries. We found factors such as female literacy and corruption as key variables to poverty alleviation in Sub Saharan Africa over the last two decades.    Key words: Poverty, Sub Saharan Africa, layered approach, corruption, female literacy.