Abstract: The global issue of poverty remains one of the major challenges confronting the global village; even at the dawn of the 21st century with the millennium goal setting 2015 as the target year for poverty eradication. The variations in the extent of its severity across countries depend on many economic and social variables prominent among which is the educational structure, which often determine people�s vulnerability to poverty. This study therefore reports on the nature of poverty in Nigeria. It highlights optional strategies for poverty alleviation. The study made use of structured questionnaires, distributed by employing stratified random sampling. A total of 151 questionnaires were distributed to top administrators of Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in Nigeria with a view to investigating the impact of government poverty alleviation programme using educational development strategy. In spite of her abundant resources, poverty problem was acclaimed by the Respondents to exist in Nigeria. And despite the pessimistic stance of some earlier studies, respondents believed that appropriate strategies can be effectual in reducing poverty in the country. They suggested the teaching of entrepreneurship education in Nigerian post secondary institutions and strengthening of sub contracting system to promote development of small and medium enterprises. The study concluded by attributing the sustenance of economic poverty to low literacy rate, economic structures and processes created by non-culturalisation of micro economic strategies of sub-contracting system in the technological development framework of the state.