Poverty reduction and inequality: sustaining the millennium development goals achievements of selected African countries

Abstract

Traditional economics measures development in terms of increase in gross domestic product (GDP) or real per capita GDP. The new economic view of development is that development is a multidimensional process involving major changes in social structures, popular attitudes, and acceleration of economic growth. Reduction of inequality as well as eradication of poverty is also crucial to the new economic view of development. The achievements of Nigeria and some African countries on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on poverty eradication differ. This paper examines the level of achievements of selected African countries on MGDs on poverty and inequality. It employed descriptive analysis to analyse data on 4 selected countries from 1990-2015. It compares their achievements and suggests an inclusive way to improve and sustain the achievements under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Keywords: Extreme poor, Inequality, Hunger, Sustainable development, Poverty