| SN | Explanatory Variables | Symbol | A Priori Expectation | Data Source(s) | Literature |
| 1. | Agro-climatic and Environmental Characteristics (GAC) |
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| § Average annual rainfall per senatorial district (mm) | AvRa | - | NIMET & CBN statistical bulletin | [27] |
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| § Percentage of people employed in agriculture | PEA | +/− | CWIS (2006) | [46] - [48] |
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| § International land bordered SD (Yes = 1, No= 0) | ILBSD | - | NBS senatorial District map | [49] |
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| § Coastal bordered SD (Yes = 1, No = 0) | CBSD | - | NBS senatorial District map | [49] |
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| § Soil classification (good soil = 1, bad soil = 0) | SoC | - | FAO soil map (see Appendix 3) | [33] [50] |
| 2. | Demographic Characteristics (DEC) |
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| § Male headed household per senatorial district (%) | MaH | +/− | CWIS (2006) | [42] [51] |
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| § Female headed household per § senatorial district (%) | FeH | +/− | CWIS (2006) | [13] [52] |
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| § Average household size per senatorial district | HS | - | CWIS (2006) | [47] [53] |
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| § Literate adult (%) | LA | - | CWIS (2006) | [11] [18] |
| 3. | Sociopolitical and Economic Characteristics (SPC) |
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| § Households membership of association (social capital index) | HMA | - | NLSS (2004) | [9] [18] [24] [54] [55] |
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| § Access to credit facilities (%) | ACF | - | CWIS (2006) | [56] - [58] |
| 4. | Infrastructural Characteristics (INC) |
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| § Access to safe water sources (%) per SD | SwS | - | CWIS (2006) | [49] [59] |
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| § Access to safe sanitation (%) per SD | SaS | - | CWIS (2006) | [49] [60] - [62] |
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| § Access to health facilities (%) per SD | AHF | - | CWIS (2006) | [32] [49] |
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| § Connection to public electricity (%) | Cpelect | - | CWIS (2006) | [60] [61] |