Abstract Body

Some slums continue to resist the threat of eviction, even though many cities in the global South are tuned towards their clearances. Social capital is one of the major assets of slum communities, yet little is known about the role of this capital to slum resilience against threat of eviction. Similarly, Lagos, a megacity in Nigeria, engages in slum clearances to reduce slum growth, yet, many slums still exist in the city. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the factors that contribute to the resilience of slum communities through a social capital lens. The study first identifies the available social capital and then assesses how this capital influences resilience to the threat of eviction in slums. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The study showed that there is a form of structural social capital through the presence of government-registered community development associations in the slums. However, the presence of the associations in slums does not necessarily aid higher resilience in slums. This is because the community development association, through their appointed executives, have become a double-edged sword to slum resilience. They can either facilitate or impede the strengthening of community trust, social cohesion, bonding ties, and community assets, required to increase resilience to threat of eviction, through their decision-making process and community activities. This study therefore recommends restructuring the community development associations to achieve a sustainable solution to the threat of eviction in slums in Lagos.