Households` Vulnerability to Poverty in Ibadan Metropolis, Oyo State, Nigeria

A household`s observed poverty status is an ex-post measure of its well-being (or lack thereof). But in thinking about forward-looking anti-poverty interventions that aim to prevent rather than alleviate poverty, what really matters is the vulnerability of households to poverty that is the ex-ante risk that a household will, if currently non-poor, fall below the poverty line, or if currently poor will remain in poverty. This study empirically assessed vulnerability to poverty at household level using a two-period panel data set obtained from 150 households, sampled from two local government areas within Ibadan Metropolis. The study also examined the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents that affect a household`s vulnerability to poverty. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, poverty indices and probit regression analysis. Analysis of the socio-economic characteristics and their relationship with vulnerability to poverty revealed that large-sized households headed by men who were old, widowed, self-employed, uneducated or who had only primary school education and who had no access to any form of credit, were more vulnerable than other households. The estimated probit regression equation showed that marital status and tertiary education status of respondents reduced vulnerability to poverty while primary education status and household size enhanced households vulnerability to poverty.