The Federal Government has announced plans to launch a National Housing Data Centre, a move expected to end years of speculation surrounding Nigeria’s housing deficit, its true scale, value, and investment potential.

The initiative, being coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (FMHUD), is designed to provide credible, evidence-based data that will guide policy formulation, investment decisions, and long-term planning in the housing and real estate sector.

For nearly two decades, Nigeria’s housing figures have largely been based on estimates. Since a 2006 assessment by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), subsequent figures quoted by public officials and private sector stakeholders have remained largely speculative.

At an international housing event in Abuja, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, cited the country’s housing deficit at 22 million units, noting that Nigeria would need to produce an average of 550,000 housing units annually over the next 10 years to bridge the gap. According to him, achieving this target would require annual investments exceeding N5.5 trillion.

Similarly, real estate investor and cleric Matthew Ashimolowo referenced a World Bank estimate suggesting that Nigeria would need to build about 700,000 housing units annually for the next 20 years, requiring investments of approximately N59 trillion over that period.

However, industry experts argue that the absence of reliable, harmonised data has made it difficult to validate or reconcile these figures, leaving policymakers and investors to rely on assumptions.

The planned Housing Data Centre is expected to address this challenge by consolidating housing statistics nationwide and providing a single, authoritative source of information.

Professionals in the real estate sector have long expressed concern over the lack of dependable data. Erejuwa Gbadebo, Managing Director of Eko Development Limited, said the absence of accurate housing records has hindered effective planning.

“Nigeria needs dependable data in its housing sector. People keep quoting figures because there is no data to prove or disprove them. We talk about homes demolished, burnt, or newly built, but there is no systematic record of what is being gained or lost,” she said.

Gbadebo stressed the need for the sector to take stock of existing housing types, transaction values, and supply trends to avoid fighting an unclear battle.

According to the FMHUD, the Housing Data Centre will be fully operational by December 2025 and is expected to significantly reshape housing and real estate policy through credible and up-to-date information.

The centre will integrate data from public and private stakeholders, track progress in addressing the housing deficit, and provide clarity on affordability trends and investment opportunities.

Chairman of the Technical Committee of the National Housing Data Programme (NHDP), Taofeeq Olatinwo, explained that the Data Centre will operate as a federated system, allowing states, ministries, departments, agencies (MDAs), and private developers to regularly submit data into a unified national platform.

He said the system is designed to ensure both state-level detail and national coordination, enabling government authorities to identify housing gaps, monitor affordability, and track emerging urban patterns.

“The target is for the Data Centre to go live in December 2025. It will operate as a federated system with inputs from states, MDAs, and private developers at defined intervals, in line with global standards,” Olatinwo said.

With the launch of the Data Centre, stakeholders expect Nigeria’s housing sector to transition from assumption-driven projections to data-led planning, providing investors and policymakers with the confidence needed to unlock the sector’s vast potential.

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The initiative set up by the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa and being spearheaded by a 13-member Steering Committee, is expected to revolutionize the housing sector by providing credible and accessible data that will drive housing policies, investments, and urban development strategies.

At a recent workshop held in Abuja, the Chair of the Technical Committee, Mr. Taofeeq Olatinwo of the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), emphasized the importance of creating a comprehensive housing database.

According to him, the NHDC will provide real-time housing data that will shape housing policies, facilitate financing, and guide government interventions. The centre will also support the financial market by offering valuable insights to investors interested in Nigeria’s real estate sector.

The NHDC is being developed by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in collaboration with key institutions, including, Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN), National Population Commission (NPC), Family Homes Funds Limited (FHFL), Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Association of Housing Corporation of Nigeria (AHCN), Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) and Homes Group Limited.

These organizations are contributing critical datasets, ranging from the number of habitable and non-habitable houses to land title records, building attributes, and market trends. The committee has already compiled a significant amount of housing data, including the total number of houses in Nigeria, broken down by location, building type, and structural attributes.

Mr. Olatinwo highlighted that the committee is working across five key areas: establishing a data collection framework, ensuring continuous engagement with stakeholders, developing a distribution channel for investors, assessing housing’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP, and setting up a regulatory framework for the NHDC’s operations. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has also committed to sponsoring a detailed research study on Nigeria’s housing deficit, a crucial step toward understanding the extent of the problem and identifying data-driven solutions.

To ensure that the NHDC remains efficient and transparent, the Technical Committee has established four specialized sub-teams to focus on different aspects of the project. These teams are tasked with designing a data-gathering strategy, setting up a distribution system for policymakers and investors, and ensuring that relevant government agencies actively support the initiative.

After the committee’s next meeting, the Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) will organize a stakeholders’ workshop aimed at gathering more input from industry players and strengthening the NHDC’s foundation.

A key milestone in the NHDC’s development is the establishment of a structured communication and reporting protocol. The committee has agreed to provide quarterly updates to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa, and monthly progress reports to the Steering Committee. This structured approach ensures that the project stays on course and allows for necessary adjustments as new data is collected and analyzed.

The committee has also commenced the integration of all collected data into the Housing Market Information Portal (HMIP), a digital platform that will serve as the primary access point for housing market insights. The portal will provide investors, developers, and government agencies with real-time data on housing availability, mortgage financing, property prices, and construction trends.

With at least five workshops already held, and a solid framework in place, stakeholders in Nigeria and beyond remain optimistic about the NHDC’s potential to bridge Nigeria’s housing deficit and foster economic growth through a structured housing economy.

By aligning data-driven policies with strategic investments, the Federal Government under the leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is taking a bold step toward making affordable housing a reality for millions of Nigerians.

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