Community-led infrastructure provision in low-income urban communities in developing countries: A study on Ohafia, Nigeria

Abstract

The changing role of government in infrastructure provision and the need for community-based approach are widely gaining increasing recognition, but the extent to which local communities are involved in urban infrastructure provision in developing countries has not been given adequate attention in the literature. This study examines how community-based organizations are filling the gap created by partial withdrawal of the state from urban infrastructure provision in six low-income urban communities in Ohafia, Nigeria. Drawing on the role of social capital in community development, this paper reported how, and in what context situations the organizations are addressing the infrastructure challenge in their communities. Relying on the data from a survey, the study identified six organizations and three funding arrangements in urban infrastructure provision in the communities. Using this case-study, this study attempted to identify how the mobilization of resources in project initiation, design, implementation and funding influenced the type of infrastructure projects. The findings have conceptual and policy implications for understanding the socio-economic and political dynamics in harnessing local resources and integrating community-based approaches into urban development process in developing countries.