Social Intervention Programmes as Mechanism for Peacebuilding in Nigeria

Like other developing countries, Nigeria is beset by societal problems including poverty, unemployment and under-employment, amongst others. As strategy to mitigate the effects of these societal challenges and reduce their capacity to trigger conflict and insecurity, successive governments at the Federal and state levels have introduced social intervention programmes to serve as mechanisms for socio-economic empowerment and peacebuilding. This study, therefore, interrogates and examines the potentials and prospects of social intervention programmes as a mechanism for peacebuilding within the Nigerian context. Utilizing the content analysis model and review of documents, government white papers, journal articles, books and other relevant data, the study indicates that the various social intervention programmes implemented in Nigeria include: the first, second, third and fourth National Development Plans (1962–1985), Three Year Rolling Plans (1990–1992), Vision 2010 (1996–1996), National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (2003–2007); National Poverty Eradication Programme (2001–2015) and the National Social Investment Programme currently being implemented by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari since 2015 to date. The study submits that despite the implementation of these social interventions programmes, challenges of unemployment and poverty persist in Nigeria resulting in violent conflicts and general insecurity. The study further indicates that social intervention programmes have the capacity to enhance peace and facilitate reduction in crime if effectively designed and implemented. Thus, due to poor design and implementation, social intervention programmes have so far failed to contribute to peacebuilding and crime reduction in Nigeria. The study recommends integration of monitoring and evaluation components into social intervention programmes in Nigeria in order to fully maximize its peacebuilding potentials.