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IF Insights: Unveiling hidden poverty crisis in Lagos slums

IFM_Lagos
Fighting poverty in Lagos's slums requires more than just counting income levels

Lagos, Nigeria’s economic heart, is celebrated for its fast growth and lively economy. The city is full of energy, attracting people from all walks of life drawn by the promise of opportunity and a better future. But behind this bustling city lies a harsher truth: widespread poverty in its slum communities. Hidden beneath the bright lights and skyscrapers, millions live in challenging conditions, struggling to make ends meet.

Traditional ways of measuring poverty focus on income, classifying people as either “poor” or “not poor.” However, money alone cannot capture all the hardships that people endure. It misses critical aspects like education, healthcare, clean water, and decent living conditions. To address this gap, new studies use a broader perspective, a multidimensional approach, to understand the real struggles of people in Lagos’s slums. This new perspective provides a more complete picture of challenges.

Understanding Poverty Beyond Income

Poverty is about more than a lack of money. It is a condition that affects every part of a person’s life, from the food they eat to the opportunities they have for the future. The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) measures poverty through a wider lens, including health, education, and living standards. Health considers factors such as child mortality and nutrition, recognising that without good health, individuals cannot work or learn effectively.

Education looks at school attendance and years of schooling, as education is vital in breaking the cycle of poverty. Living standards include access to electricity, clean water, sanitation, and cooking fuel, along with other basics like secure housing and asset ownership. The MPI paints a fuller picture of what people are missing, pointing out where help is needed most.

By focusing on these dimensions, we can begin to understand the depth of the problems that slum dwellers face. According to the 2024 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, 1.1 billion people worldwide live in acute multidimensional poverty, with over half being children. In Nigeria, 63% of the population, approximately 133 million people, are multi-dimensionally poor, highlighting the extensive challenges many Nigerians face.

Fuzzy Set Approach In Lagos Slums

Researchers used a “fuzzy set” approach to study five major slums in Lagos: Makoko, Iwaya, Ilaje, Ijora Badia, and Amukoko. Unlike traditional poverty measures that categorise individuals as “poor” or “not poor,” the fuzzy set method recognises that poverty is a spectrum. People are not simply poor or not; there are varying degrees of deprivation that people experience. This method allows for a more nuanced understanding of poverty. It captures how deeply people are deprived across different needs and highlights the intensity of their suffering. This study found significant differences in poverty among the slums.

The average MPI was 0.49, a troubling number that signals high levels of deprivation. Most people faced deprivation in education, followed by poor living standards and health issues. Education plays a crucial role in determining opportunities for children and adults alike, and a lack of it can lead to a lifetime of hardship.

Differences Between Slums

The study also revealed significant differences between the slums. Makoko and Iwaya had higher MPI scores, indicating worse conditions than Ilaje, Ijora Badia, and Amukoko. Makoko, known for its floating wooden houses, faces unique challenges like lack of basic infrastructure and severe overcrowding. Iwaya, similarly, suffers from poor living standards and limited access to essential services.

These variations call for targeted solutions rather than a blanket approach. A one-size-fits-all approach will not work; each slum has different needs and challenges. Tailored interventions are essential for meaningful change. For example, while Makoko may benefit more from improvements in infrastructure and access to clean water, other slums may need focused efforts in education and healthcare services.

Policy Implications

Taking a multidimensional view of poverty changes policymaking. It means looking beyond income to see what else needs fixing. For example, in Makoko and Iwaya, educational programmes would make a significant difference. Building schools or offering incentives for school attendance could break the cycle of poverty.

In other places where basic living standards are lacking, the priority might be clean water, sanitation, and better housing. Addressing living conditions is not just about building more houses; it is about creating safe, secure environments where families can thrive.

The multidimensional approach also shows how different types of deprivation are linked. Poor education can limit job opportunities, keeping income and living standards low. Without income, families cannot afford healthcare, which affects their ability to work or learn, perpetuating a vicious cycle. Solving these problems requires integrated policies that work on several fronts at once. Improving one aspect without considering the others leads to temporary gains that do not last.

Challenges To Tackling Poverty

While the multidimensional approach helps to understand poverty better, turning insights into action is not easy. Data collection in slums is challenging. The population is often on the move, making it difficult to maintain accurate records, and reliable statistics are scarce.

Furthermore, slums are marginalised, lacking formal recognition by authorities, which makes it harder for interventions to be effective. Many slum dwellers are undocumented and invisible in data and policy decisions.

Resources are also limited. Tackling poverty in all its forms requires funding, and deciding where to start is a complex task. Balancing urgent needs like clean water with long-term goals like education requires careful planning. Authorities must prioritise resource allocation while ensuring that no essential aspect is neglected.

The Importance Of Community Participation

Community involvement is crucial. Without it, any plan is likely to fall short. Engaging residents in the process ensures that interventions are practical and address real needs. Engaging the community also helps build trust, which is important in areas where people may be sceptical of outside help due to years of neglect.

It also gives people a sense of ownership, boosting the chances that projects will last. In Makoko, community-led initiatives have already made a difference, residents-built toilets and waste management systems themselves.

These grassroots projects highlight the strength of the community and their willingness to improve their living conditions when given the right support. Supporting these grassroots projects can complement larger-scale interventions and create a powerful combination that drives real change.

Fighting poverty in Lagos’s slums requires more than just counting income levels. We need to see poverty in all its forms to understand what’s truly happening. The fuzzy set approach helps us see how bad conditions are and how varied they are across different communities. But understanding is only half the battle.

We need to face challenges like gathering reliable data, deciding where to spend limited resources, and ensuring community involvement. True progress will require a consistent effort from all stakeholders.

Policymakers, development workers, and community leaders must work together. They need to address all sides of poverty at once, health, education, and living conditions. Only then can we carve out a real path out of poverty for the millions living in Lagos’s slums. Collaboration and coordinated action are key.

This is the only way to build a fairer and more livable city. By addressing these interconnected issues holistically, we can hope to see lasting change and help make Lagos a place where everyone has a chance at a better life.

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