IMPACT OF POVERTY INCIDENCE AND SEVERITY IN NIGERIA: THE TOURISM PERSPECTIVE: LAWAL Adenike Olusola, AKERELE Ezekiel Olaoluwa, OMOTOBA Nathaniel Ileri, LAWAL Beloved John, ODUFUWA Babatunde Adewale

This study reviews the incidence and severity of poverty as it relates to tourism in Nigeria. It examines the causes and effects of tourism and how it affects tourism participation. The study employs the Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs as its basis for theoretical underpinning. The study relied on secondary data and literatures for its review. The study found out that the major reasons for underdevelopment in the area is neglect of the tourism sector of the country which in turn caused many more people to become poorer. It recommends that government should diversify and work on tourism potentials especially in host communities which are majorly rural areas. This in turn is expected to alleviate poverty in the communities. It is expected that this work will be useful for the purpose of politicking and making policies that will better the life of the poor