Poverty Mapping and Social Vulnerability in Rural Communities of Kogi State, North Central Nigeria

This research undertakes a poverty mapping exercise and social vulnerability analysis in selected rural communities in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria. Kogi State, located at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers, combines significant mineral resources and agricultural potential with persistently high poverty rates, making it an important case study for development policy analysis. Grounded in the multidimensional poverty framework and human development theory, the study draws on recent poverty and social protection literature published between 2020 and 2024. A descriptive survey design is adopted, and 250 rural households from four local government areas are sampled using stratified random sampling. Data are collected using the Multidimensional Poverty Index survey instrument adapted for the Nigerian context, supplemented by focus group discussions. Descriptive statistics and poverty profiling techniques are applied. The study expects to find that rural Kogi households face intersecting deprivations in education access, healthcare quality, potable water, housing, and income, with women-headed households and farming communities along flood plains experiencing the deepest vulnerability. The study also maps the spatial distribution of poverty across the state's three senatorial zones. Findings will provide actionable intelligence for targeting social investment programmes, disaster risk reduction strategies, and rural development priorities in Kogi State and the North Central geopolitical zone. Keywords: poverty mapping, social vulnerability, rural communities, Kogi State, multidimensional poverty