Information dissemination, access and utilization for socio-economic empowerment of rural people in northern states of Nigeria

Abstract

Rural people in northern states of Nigeria are those whose main occupation is subsistence 
farming. They exhibit a relatively higher rate of poverty than their counterparts in the urban 
areas. Therefore, they need information that can empower them to fight poverty and other social 
vices. The objective of the study was to identify the types of information required, channels 
available and used to disseminate information to the rural people. Two research questions were 
raised and answered, and one null hypothesis was formulated and tested using chi-square. 
Descriptive research method was used and questionnaire was the instrument used to gather 
data. The study revealed that the information required by rural people in northern states of 
Nigeria was information on agriculture, bank loans, poverty alleviation programmes and any 
other information that can raise their socio-economic status. It further revealed that the channels available and used for the dissemination of the information were not adequate. It was suggested among other things, community information centres (CICs) for rural people be established and that state public libraries should use the CICs to disseminate information through the Local Government Information Units.