Assessment of Social Welfare Progress of NEAZDP Beneficiaries in Yobe State of Nigeria

Despite the implementation of the NEAZDP (North East Arid Zone Development Programme), the extent to which the program has improved the social welfare of its beneficiaries in Yobe State remains unclear, particularly in addressing income inequality, food security, and long-term socio-economic stability. Consequently, this study makes an attempt at assessing the social welfare progress of NEAZDP beneficiaries in Nigeria’s Yobe State. Further, the study used undated household survey data of the year 2023, collected with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire coupled with an interview schedule from a total of 396 households (120 beneficiaries, and 138 each for the spillover and control groups). The households were selected through a multi-stage sampling technique and the collected data were subjected to inferential statistical analysis. Empirically, the NEAZDP had a notable impact on socio-economic development, income inequality, and social welfare among its beneficiaries. The program improved beneficiaries’ socio-economic conditions, particularly in the areas of food security, asset acquisition, and wealth, while also reducing income inequality. However, the spillover group experienced even lower inequality, indicating strong indirect benefits. The analysis also revealed significant improvements in social welfare, particularly at the per capita income level, though food inflation negatively impacted both the beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries, exacerbating inequality. The findings suggest that while NEAZDP interventions effectively enhance economic stability and well-being, future strategies should focus on addressing internal disparities, mitigating inflationary pressures, and fostering long-term resilience in rural communities to sustain and deepen the program’s positive outcomes.