National Poverty Eradication Programme and Poverty Reduction in Nigeria: Empirical Investigation of the Programme Impact in Cross River State

The study examines the impact of the National Poverty Eradication Programme on poverty reduction in Cross River State. To guide the study, two major hypotheses were stated and primary data were obtained from 361 respondents from the benefactors of the State government Conditional Cash Transfer. The data obtained were tested using Chi-square statistical tool at. 05 degree of significance to examine the level of impact. The analysis of data in reveals that the calculated value of chi square (18.1) was greater than the table value of chi (9.49), tested at. 05 level of significance. This implied that the implementation of NAPEP has a significant impact on entrepreneurial development among youths in Cross River State. In table 2, the results obtained also showed that the calculated value of chi square (15.1) is greater than the table value of chi (9.49), tested at .05 level of significance, meaning that the null hypothesis was ignored and the alternative that the implementation of NAPEP has significant impacts on the provision of micro credit facilities to entrepreneur in Cross River State was accepted. However, the results obtained called for attention to other areas of interest neglected by the programme. These were identified to include the need to harness agriculture, water and solid minerals resources and conservation efforts especially in the rural-areas where the main occupation is agriculture. This concern formed the baseline for policy recommendations.