Abuja – November 9, 2023 – Viewpoint Housing. Our Stand (93)-
Housing has become a critical component in the social, economic and health fabric of every nation.
housing deficit is as a result of a deficiency or lack in the number of houses needed to accommodate the population of an area.
The right of every persons/Nigerians to adequate housing that is affordable, accessible, safe, secure, and healthy is a fundamental right that is upheld by the Habitat Agenda, which aims to provide adequate shelter for everyone (UN Habitat, 2001) , as also enshrined in the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.
Most developed economies believe that the housing industry is essential to fostering economic growth. Nonetheless, the majority of Nigerians, especially those from the middle and lower social classes, continue to see affordable housing as an unattainable dream.
The housing gap has been becoming worse over time, and since Nigeria gained its independence 61 years after, many governments have struggled to address this issue.
The housing market in Nigeria has not been able to sufficiently meet the needs of middle-class and lower-class families. Consequently, climbing the property ladder is just as difficult as setting foot on it.
housing deficit can be estimated as a flow over a specific time period, such as an annual deficit, or as a static amount at a specific date, in which case it is sometimes called the housing backlog (stock). It is estimated that families making less than three times the minimum wage account for 75.0% of Nigeria’s housing deficit.
There has been a surge in the demand for housing, effectively driving up housing prices and pushing quality housing out of reach for the majority of those who are in need, especially poor and middle-income households. Simultaneously, slum populations have continued to grow, as social housing cannot keep up with the demand from those in the bottom half of the income distribution. Affordability issues are preventing households from getting their foot on or moving up the housing ladder.
critical issues affecting housing in Nigeria include;
– inadequate access to finance
– slow administrative procedures and the high cost of land registration and titling.
Other reasons for the glaring deficit in housing in Nigeria was attributed to some of the following factors:
–lack of expertise
– uncertainties in housing policies
–inadequate funding
– poor motivation for relevant institutional agencies
– political; and selfish gains of some key stakeholders, including the land use act of Nigeria.
The need for housing in Nigeria is enormous and its delivery depends on the active participation of both the public and private sectors. To increase housing stock in Nigeria, there is the need to incorporate affordable housing delivery scheme into the formulation and implementation of housing policies and programmes, which should not be at the exclusive preserve of the Federal Government to the exclusion of governments at both state local government levels. There is a need now, to reach out and effectively involve the people and governments at grassroots levels in the formulation of housing policies. The Federal Government has been directly involved in the construction of buildings for all categories in the past and even at present.
It is important to note that, Nigeria’s housing crisis can be solved only by the unwavering commitment and
political will of the government. However, It is necessary that housing must be considered as a personal service and as such, the primary responsibility of housing should not be left to the people themselves who should be assisted in some ways in order to realize their aspirations for self-actualization of owning individual houses. They should be encouraged to engage the mortgage institution for assistance, as well as keying into the available housing intervention schemes.
