AN EVALUATION OF THE ROLE OF SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM ON POVERTY REDUCTION AMONG NIGERIAN YOUTH (A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAM 2019-2023)

This study examined the impact of empowerment programmes and poverty reduction in Nigeria: A case study of Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) in Gombe local Government. Based on this research, various literatures were analyzed and reviewed; Social Exclusion Theory was employed as framework of analysis. Primary and secondary data were used in the study; in primary data, Questionnaires were administered, while, secondary sources are textbooks, magazines, journals, articles and internet. The researcher used survey design, employed quantitative techniques in which structured questions was used to collect information from the respondents. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 150 respondents out of the semi-literate and literate people of Gombe Local Government and Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) and Social Investment office Gombe was used as a tool for analysis. Equally, simple percentage and frequency tables were used to analyze data. The findings has shown that, unemployment, illiteracy, inequality, bad governance, lack of financial discipline, mismanagement, and above all corruption are the causes of poverty as well as stumbling block to empowerment programmes in Nigeria. The work further revealed that Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT failed to eradicate poverty in Gombe local Government. This resulted from poor policy conception, poor implementation, short-sightedness and inadequate approach. The study therefore, recommended among others that, there is need to review all economic policies that are causing high rates of inflation, unemployment, food insecurity, Government should also create employment in the rural economy through agrarian reforms, again, there is need for institutional coordination among the three tiers of Government especially at the local level. Keywords: Empowerment; Empowerment Programme; Poverty; Poverty Reduction; Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT.