Affordable Housing in Nigeria:

Despite multiple schemes implemented by various governments around the country, affordable housing remains elusive to the average Nigerian. Because the situation is comparable to that of other developing nations, it remains a key concern in these countries’ socioeconomic development. Over 52% of Nigeria’s population has been claimed to live in shanties, squatter communities, and informal settlements.

This article, therefore, reviews the challenges to the provision of affordable housing in Nigeria and the Sustainable approaches to address them. The article’s findings were based on a thorough examination of the literature. The article’s findings indicated that sustainable approaches for addressing Nigeria’s affordable housing barriers may best be examined through economic, ecological, social, institutional, and technical factors.

The paper urges the present regime, investors, lawmakers, and private developers in Nigeria to implement these approaches for affordable housing provision. The findings from this article will add to the current body of knowledge by providing important information on affordable housing provision and re-directing research interest towards affordable housing in Nigeria and other developing countries.

Housing, which has been defined as a fundamental necessity, is essential to the growth of any nation. Nigeria had a population of 45,211,614 people when it gained independence in 1960, corresponding to a population density of 6,967,110 persons per square kilometer. As a result, 15.4% of the population lived in cities. By 2022, the population had risen to 217,139,124, with cities housing 54% of the population. Despite its vastness, the land area of 910,802 km2 was insufficient to accommodate the rising population.

The United Nations estimates Nigeria’s population will reach 228 million in 2023, rising to 400 million by 2050. More than 40% of Nigerians reside in cities, creating a demand for affordable housing as well as an affordable supply of essential amenities like power, water supply, health facilities, transportation, and other government services. Though the government has made previous attempts, these efforts have been insufficient, particularly for middle-class families, and the objective has not been realized since many individuals in need of housing are unable to afford it. As a result, they frequently reside in substandard homes, semi-urban neighborhoods, and slums.

In support of the government’s robust urban expansion, the private sector provides nearly 90% of urban housing. However, the private sector continues to fall short of meeting the need for affordable housing. Several reasons contribute to these challenges. First, strong urban population expansion is a result of high fertility rates, as well as rural-urban migration. The need for jobs, improved facilities, and opportunities are significant considerations that housing program directors must address. Second, growing urbanization has been noted as a feature shared by all emerging countries, including Nigeria. Third, the expensive cost of construction materials due to high manufacturing and mining costs, along with reliance on imported resources to augment local sources, are significant considerations.

Fourth, the scarcity of local technology and trained labor has resulted in the high expense of hiring expatriate personnel and even craftsmen from surrounding nations. The fifth element is the grandiose and pricey designs created by building specialists without regard for our economic circumstances or cultural background. Only a few wealthy Nigerians can afford these designs in the long run. The sixth reason is the Nigerian populace’s acceptance of dwellings built using traditional materials such as sandcrete blocks and concrete. This is still a major source of worry.

The aim of this study is to identify the challenges to the provision of affordable housing in Nigeria and sustainable approaches to address them. The objectives are:
1) To analyze the challenges as they affect specific areas of housing delivery.
2) To propose sustainable strategies for removing or minimizing barriers to affordable housing provision in Nigeria.