AN ASSESSMENT OF PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU’S SOCIO-ECONOMIC POLICIES AND COPING STRATEGIES AMONG LOWER CLASS FAMILIES IN JOS NORTH LGA.

ABSTRACT This study assesses the impact of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s socio-economicpolicies on lower-class families in Jos North Local Government Area (LGA), PlateauState, and examines the coping strategies adopted in response to economic hardship. Recent reforms including the removal of fuel subsidies and the unificationofexchange rates have contributed to increased inflation, rising transportation costs, foodinsecurity, and reduced access to essential services. These conditions have intensifiedthe socio-economic struggles of already vulnerable households, many of whomrelyon informal employment, low incomes, and limited social support. Using a mixed-methods approach involving 198 questionnaires and key informant interviews, thestudy identifies major challenges faced by lower-class families, including restrictedaccess to education, inadequate healthcare, unemployment, and the risingcost ofliving. Findings reveal that while government policies were intended topromoteeconomic stability and long-term growth, their immediate effects have imposedsignificant financial strain on households. In response, families have adoptedcopingmechanisms such as reducing food consumption, borrowing money, engaginginmultiple informal jobs, and withdrawing children from school, strategies that undermine long-term well-being of lower-class families. The study reveals amajorgap between policy intentions and lived realities, emphasizing the need for strongersocial protection systems, more effective policy implementation, andtargetedinterventions that address the unique socio-economic needs of lower-class families. By providing a localized perspective, this research contributes to a deeperunderstanding of poverty dynamics in Jos North and offers recommendationsforimproving socio-economic conditions within the community.