Stakeholders pick holes as FG plans to build 100 houses in 774 LGAs
Experts have picked holes in the proposed plan of the federal government to build 100 houses in the 774 local government areas in the country. The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa, last week, disclosed that the government is targeting social housing for vulnerable Nigerians in all the local government areas of […]
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Experts have picked holes in the proposed plan of the federal government to build 100 houses in the 774 local government areas in the country.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa, last week, disclosed that the government is targeting social housing for vulnerable Nigerians in all the local government areas of the federation.
However, experts in the country’s housing sector have faulted the move and tasked governments at all levels to address the factors responsible for housing deficits in the country first.
They noted that with a population exceeding 200 million, housing remains a fundamental need that continues to challenge both policymakers and private developers.
They said despite the nation’s immense potential, progress in providing affordable housing for its citizens has been slow, marred by a combination of legislative hurdles, economic constraints, and a rapidly growing urban population.
According to the experts, government at all levels should provide incentives, an enabling environment and also remove hurdles in acquiring land to make it easier to access funds from banks.
It stated that in Lagos alone, the deficit is around three million units, and many residents, especially in informal settlements, pay rent despite inadequate amenities such as clean water, sanitation and stable electricity.
Speaking on the proposed plan, the past president of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, TPL Steve Onu, noted that Nigeria’s approach to the housing crisis has not been well thought out.
Onu, who is a registered town planning consultant, while speaking to Daily Trust stated that “The country does not have a housing policy to address the housing needs of Nigeria, rather it is just giving out jobs for contractors.
“In the first place, I think the essence of the policy has not been thought out because there are critical questions to ask and answer which include the fact that will the people be ready to relocate to these houses from their ancestral homes? Has the federal government provided certain infrastructure that includes light, water and roads? What is the economic viability of the location in these local government areas?”
He added that “the federal government should also go back to the archives to check the success level of some of these housing programmes and see if they have worked, as majority of them have not yielded results.”
He advised due diligence and feasibility studies to meet the housing needs of the indigenes before embarking on the project else contractors will just make money with no results achieved.
Similarly, Musa Ibrahim, a real estate expert, stated that Nigeria has grappled with a severe housing deficit, estimated at over 28 million units, with an annual requirement of at least 900,000 new homes just to catch up.
He said what Nigeria deserves is mass housing, not a paltry 100 houses in each local government, adding that what is delivered annually remains a fraction of what millions of Nigerians need.
“Nigeria has had numerous housing policies, master plans, and government initiatives over the years, yet we remain stuck in the same cycle of unmet targets, abandoned projects, and unrealised dreams. Why? Because our governments have a history of not taking policy implementation seriously and the new policy by this government looks like it is taking the same direction,” he said.
With an annual population growth rate of about 2.6%, the demand for housing is outpacing supply. What Nigeria needs to do now is to build at least one million new homes every year for the next 20 years to bridge the gap.
Also speaking, a former president of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria, Aliyu Wamakko, noted that about 90 per cent of building materials are imported into the country, as such, there is need to first address the rising cost of building materials before embarking on the projects.
He added that it is also critical for needs assessment to be able to know the housing needs of people in the hinterland.
What FG is saying
The federal government recently announced plans to deliver 77,400 homes, with 80% reserved for low-income earners who will pay gradually using one-third of their monthly income.
Additionally, 20% of the units will be provided free of charge to vulnerable populations as the initiative aims to improve access to affordable housing and address the housing deficit in the country.
The initiative, which will be executed under the Renewed Hope Social Housing Programme set for launch soon, aims to provide 100 housing units in each of the 774 local government areas across the country.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, made the announcement while receiving a delegation from Creative Sphere Limited, according to a ministry statement released on Thursday.
Arc. Dangiwa explained that “The Renewed Hope Social Housing Programme is designed to provide homes for low-income earners, the unemployed, vulnerable groups, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), covering both the formal and informal sectors.
On the allocation of the houses, the minister said, “80% of the houses will be sold to Nigerians living in the local government areas who earn a living wage,” adding that interested individuals will be required to contribute one-third of their monthly income.
“The remaining 20% of the housing units will be allocated free of charge to citizens with low or no income, such as widows, orphans and others identified as vulnerable in society.”
Dangiwa also noted that the houses are expected to be completed within a year from the programme’s launch, adding that it will be financed through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund (RHIDF), which is dedicated to supporting large-scale housing projects.
Each housing estate will be equipped with essential community infrastructure, including schools, clinics, recreational spaces, police outposts and shopping malls, ensuring a well-rounded environment for residents.
The statement further highlighted that the social housing initiative is part of a broader national housing strategy that also encompasses the development of Renewed Hope Housing estates and Renewed Hope cities, aimed at offering long-term, affordable housing solutions throughout the country.