Abstract Poverty and conflict are serious challenges for any meaningful development to take place where they exist. Poverty is continuously cited as one of the principal factors responsible for instability in many parts of Africa. West Africa contains 11 of the world’s 25 poorest countries. Poverty and lack of economic opportunities are major factors in the continuing conflict and insecurity afflicting the Nigerian society. The humanitarian consequences are so devastating that tens of thousands have died and about 3 million people are rendered internally displaced in Nigeria due to insecurity in the country. Though violent conflict is not a Nigerian problem only, the direct humanitarian consequences of conflict are enormous resulting in physical insecurity, loss of property and psychological trauma. The economic costs for societies that experience violent conflicts and the international “spillover” effects could be burdensome, such as; refugee flows, lawlessness, illicit trades in drugs and arms in the conflict zones. The link between poverty and conflict in Nigeria has some serious implications for public policy makers and foreign policy formulators in the country. Several variables are identified in explaining the relationship between poverty and conflict in Nigeria. These include: economic, political, ethnic composition and political corruption. These factors alone may not explain the issues behind Nigeria’s precarious poverty and security situation. Nevertheless, several factors could be given as prime explanation for the causal relationships between poverty and conflict in the country. This paper discusses the relationship between poverty, conflict and their impact on the Nigerian society. Key Words: Insecurity, Nigeria, Poverty, Socio-Economic Development, Violent Conflict..