This study assessed the impact of access to Subsidized Certified Improved Rice Seed (SCIRS) on poverty reduction among rice farming households in Nigeria, using cross-sectional data of 563 rice farmers selected from three states, representing the three major rice producing ecologies. Due to the problem of endogeneity and non-compliance, this study adopted Local Average Treatment Effect (LATE) estimation techniques to provide a reliable estimate of the impact of access to SCIRS on poverty reduction. The study showed an observed increase of 20 % in output for all the respondents. Farmers in the treated group had a 15 % increase in rice output and an 11 % increase in income after the intervention. Poverty incidence, and depth and severity by gender and rice ecologies reduced among the treated after the intervention. The result of the LATE estimate showed an impact of US$221.98 on revenue from rice production. However, the impact on revenue was higher among the male-headed households (US$441.41) than the female-headed households (US$142.16). The intervention was also pro-poor in nature, as it had a higher impact on the poor (US$430.07) than the non-poor (US$97.60) farming households. Therefore, granting farmers’ access to SCIRS can be a route out of prevailing poverty in Nigeria. This study recommends that the existing seed certification and subsidy system should be properly monitored and implemented to ensure that farmers get access to seed of good quality at the right time and at affordable prices.