Effect of Poverty on Access to and Completion of Basic Education in Rural Kebbi State

This study investigates the mediating and moderating effects of household poverty on access to and completion of basic education in rural Kebbi State, North West Nigeria. Poverty remains the single most powerful structural barrier to educational participation in Nigeria, particularly in the North West zone, where enrolment and completion rates are among the lowest nationally. Understanding how poverty shapes educational trajectories at the household and community levels is essential for designing effective interventions. The study employs a mixed methods design, combining a structured household survey of 420 families with focus group discussions involving parents, community leaders, and education officers across four rural local government areas. Data are analysed using logistic regression and thematic analysis. The study is anchored on the Capability Approach of Amartya Sen. Findings reveal that household income is the strongest predictor of school enrolment and completion, particularly for girls, and that the direct and indirect costs of schooling remain prohibitive for ultra-poor families. Community-level poverty also shapes school quality through inadequate local resource contributions. The study recommends the scale-up of poverty-targeted conditional education grants, school feeding programmes, and free uniform and material schemes under the state's Universal Basic Education programme in Kebbi State. Keywords: poverty, basic education access, rural education, school completion, Kebbi State.