SOCIAL CAPITAL: A POVERTY REDUCTION MECHANISM IN MINNA, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Social capital in its simplest form is the sum total of all the experiences an individual acquired through participation in informal networks, registered organizations, associations of different kinds and social movement. Social capital theorists argued that social capital has positive impacts on various aspects of societal life, such as economic well-being, health, crime rates, educational achievement, and adolescent development. This study therefore appraised the role of social capital in poverty reduction in two selected neighbourhoods in Minna (Tunga and Maitumbi) by assessing households participation in social network and the impact of social network participation on households livelihood improvement and wellbeing. The study adopt the survey research design for data collection. Primary and secondary data were collected and analyzed descriptively. A total of 107 households were sampled using multi-stage sampling technique. The study revealed that, 72% of the households are well off as a result of participation in social network groups. The result also shows that 49% of the respondents have acquired training and benefit that have direct bearing on their livelihood, while 81% have acquired benefits with direct bearing on their general wellbeing. The study concluded that participation in social networks, both formal and informal has impact on household livelihood development and wellbeing, hence can serve as a tool for poverty reduction. The study recommends that government should partner with social networks groups to initiate programs that can help to alleviate poverty in the study area. Social networks should also be integrated into local poverty reduction action plan at the grassroots.