The Department of Economics has entered a two-year research partnership with the World Bank to evaluate poverty alleviation programs in rural Nigeria. The research team, led by Professor Olu Akinwande, will conduct randomized controlled trials across 80 communities in three states, measuring the impact of cash transfer programs on education, health, and economic outcomes. The research will involve 20 faculty members and 50 postgraduate students. Findings will inform federal government policy and potentially scale successful interventions nationally.