The Federal Government and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, have called for innovative approaches to tackle Nigeria’s housing deficit through affordable, inclusive and sustainable communities.

The call was made at the 2026 World Habitat Day celebration held at ABU, Zaria, under the theme, “Adequate Housing for All.”

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Motoka Daruma, said the government was committed to expanding access to adequate housing while developing inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities.

Daruma, represented by Mr Danbaba Yahaya, said adequate housing must go beyond providing shelter to guarantee security, dignity, affordability, infrastructure and access to essential services.

FG Highlights Renewed Hope Housing Initiatives

The minister said rapid urbanisation, housing shortages, rising construction costs and infrastructure deficits required coordinated interventions to address Nigeria’s growing housing needs.

According to him, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is implementing its Renewed Hope Agenda through initiatives including Renewed Hope Cities, Renewed Hope Estates and social housing programmes.

He said the initiatives were designed to increase housing supply, complete ongoing projects, provide supporting infrastructure and social amenities, and improve access to mortgage finance.

Daruma added that the government was exploring innovative financing mechanisms to help more Nigerians, including people in the informal sector and members of the diaspora, access decent and affordable housing.

He also said reforms in land titling, registration, documentation and digitalisation were being pursued to strengthen security of tenure, attract investment and improve land administration.

Government Promotes Local Building Materials

The minister said the government was promoting local production of building materials across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

According to him, the initiative is aimed at reducing construction costs, creating jobs and strengthening domestic manufacturing.

He said the interventions were guided by the National Urban Development Policy 2025, which seeks to promote inclusive, resilient, productive and sustainable cities across the country.

ABU Offers Research Support

In his welcome address, ABU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Bello Sabo, pledged the university’s research and professional expertise to addressing Nigeria’s housing challenges.

Ahmed said ABU would focus on developing and commercialising locally sourced, climate-resilient building materials.

The university would also generate spatial data for urban planning and land administration while training professionals to respond to emerging challenges.

He said ABU intended to position itself as an active catalyst for addressing Nigeria’s housing crisis rather than treating the issue solely as an academic subject.

The vice-chancellor urged private developers, manufacturers and financial institutions to partner with university laboratories to test, standardise and scale affordable and environmentally friendly building technologies suited to Nigeria’s climate and soil conditions.

Stakeholders Call For Sustainable Communities

Former ABU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Shehu-Usman Abdullahi, represented by former IBB University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. A.K. Adamu, urged stakeholders to shift their focus from simply constructing houses to developing sustainable communities.

Abdullahi said adequate housing must be complemented by security of tenure, infrastructure, transportation, healthcare, education, employment opportunities, public spaces and a healthy environment.

He said rapid urbanisation and population growth had intensified challenges around housing affordability, land administration, infrastructure, transportation, environmental sustainability and urban governance.

He called for inclusive housing policies and innovative financing mechanisms that address the needs of low-income households, students, young families, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

The speakers agreed that tackling Nigeria’s housing deficit would require sustained collaboration among government, academia, the private sector, professional bodies, communities and development partners.

They also stressed that the quality of Nigeria’s housing and urban settlements would have significant implications for social stability, economic resilience and citizens’ quality of life.

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Fresh calls for affordable housing have emerged as religious leaders, legal advocates and housing stakeholders urge stronger action to address Nigeria’s growing housing shortage.

General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, used the church’s August Thanksgiving Service to pray for estate developers and Nigerians seeking decent housing. During the service, he encouraged worshippers around the world to pray that God would empower developers to build homes that ordinary Nigerians can afford.

Pastor Adeboye also prayed for tenants, asking that they receive the resources needed to build or purchase their own homes. His message reflected growing concern over the country’s housing deficit and the increasing difficulty many families face in securing decent accommodation.

Housing Costs Continue to Outpace Workers’ Income

The renewed attention comes as millions of Nigerians continue to struggle with access to affordable housing. Estimates indicate that more than 15 million people remain without adequate housing, while rising construction costs and limited housing finance continue to widen the gap between demand and supply.

Current prices within the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Estates illustrate the affordability challenge. One-bedroom homes are priced at about ₦8.5 million, while two-bedroom units cost around ₦12 million. These figures stand in sharp contrast to the national minimum wage of ₦70,000 per month, making home ownership difficult for many low-income earners.

Falana Calls on Labour to Demand Housing Rights

Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has also urged organised labour to expand its advocacy beyond wage negotiations by demanding the full implementation of housing and social welfare policies.

Speaking at a symposium in Abuja, Falana argued that workers’ welfare should include access to affordable housing, quality healthcare, pensions and other social protection programmes. He said these benefits are essential to improving living standards and ensuring long-term economic security.

Falana specifically called for the enforcement of the National Housing Act. He noted that workers contribute three per cent of their monthly earnings to the National Housing Fund with the expectation of accessing affordable homes. However, he questioned why many contributors have not benefited from the scheme despite years of deductions.

He urged labour unions to demand greater accountability and ensure governments implement existing housing policies that support workers.

Stakeholders Seek Stronger Housing Policies

Housing professionals and industry stakeholders have echoed similar concerns, saying affordable housing should become a national development priority.

During discussions at the African International Housing Show (AIHS), experts urged governments to increase investment in affordable housing and supporting infrastructure. They also called for policies that prioritise low-income households, informal sector workers, women and vulnerable groups.

Participants identified several barriers to affordable housing delivery, including rapid population growth, urbanisation, insecurity, climate change, weak urban planning, limited infrastructure and inadequate housing finance.

According to the stakeholders, many low-income families often settle in unsafe or poorly serviced communities because they have few housing options. They warned that inadequate housing contributes to poverty, social exclusion and rising insecurity.

Experts Recommend New Financing Models

Industry stakeholders also recommended practical measures to improve access to affordable homes. They called for the development of a National Affordable Housing Strategy with measurable annual housing delivery targets.

The experts urged governments to increase budget allocations for housing while encouraging stronger partnerships with pension funds, insurance companies

sovereign wealth funds and private investors to finance large-scale housing projects.

They also recommended that mortgage institutions introduce financing products designed specifically for informal sector workers by adopting alternative methods of assessing income. In addition, they said housing cooperatives should play a larger role in expanding affordable home ownership across Nigeria and other African countries.

Affordable Housing Remains Central to National Development

The growing support from religious leaders, labour advocates and housing professionals highlights the increasing urgency of Nigeria’s housing challenge. While stakeholders continue to propose different solutions, many agree that stronger policy implementation, improved housing finance and closer collaboration between government and the private sector will be necessary to make affordable housing accessible to millions of Nigerians.

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A real estate development expert, Dr Meckson Innocent Okoro, has called on the Federal Government and state governments to adopt direct land allocation as a deliberate policy tool to reduce the cost of mass housing delivery across Nigeria.

Okoro said affordable housing would remain unattainable for many Nigerians unless governments take greater responsibility for land provision and supporting infrastructure, particularly for large-scale housing estates located outside urban centres.

He identified land, finance and infrastructure as the three most critical components of housing delivery, stressing that the absence of any of these elements significantly increases the final cost of housing units.

According to him, when governments directly allocate land for housing projects and provide basic infrastructure such as access roads, electricity, water supply and mass transit systems, developers are able to deliver homes at significantly lower prices.

“Easy and affordable transportation will encourage people to buy and live in these estates, especially when they are far from city centres. Government involvement in infrastructure development will drastically reduce the selling price per housing unit,” he said.

Commends Renewed Hope Estates initiative

Okoro made the remarks while commending the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for initiating the Renewed Hope Estates and Cities Programme, describing it as a major step towards closing Nigeria’s housing gap.

He noted that the initiative marks one of the closest attempts Nigeria has made toward structured mass housing delivery comparable to global best practices.

The former Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) also praised the administration for aligning housing delivery with long-term mortgage financing, including a 20-year tenure, single-digit interest rates, and a 10 per cent equity contribution by subscribers.

“This is a commendable intervention aimed at giving ordinary Nigerians access to homeownership,” he said.

However, Okoro cautioned that the success of the programme would depend on its continuity beyond the lifespan of the current administration.

He urged the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to institutionalise the strategy, gather data from ongoing projects and refine future housing policies based on feedback from beneficiaries.

Infrastructure, solar power critical

Speaking further on mass housing development, Okoro warned that leaving developers to independently provide roads, electricity and water often leads to inflated housing costs.

He advocated for government-led infrastructure provision and encouraged the incorporation of solar energy solutions in all federal housing estates to reduce long-term energy costs.

“I also suggest that solar panels should be integrated into every federal housing estate so subscribers do not resort to generators, which increase cost and environmental impact,” he said.

Concerns over mortgage access

On funding, Okoro expressed concern about the ease of accessing mortgage facilities under the Renewed Hope Estates programme, particularly through the MOFI Real Estate Investment Fund (MREIF).

While applauding the availability of mortgage funding, he warned that delays and bureaucratic bottlenecks by disbursement banks could undermine the initiative.

“My concern is how accessible these mortgage funds are to subscribers. Government must ensure that appointed banks do not create unnecessary delays in fund disbursement,” he said.

He called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to carry out regular supervision of mortgage disbursement banks to ensure strict compliance with established guidelines.

Drawing lessons from the failed mortgage reforms of the early 1990s, Okoro warned that weak regulation could derail even well-intentioned housing policies.

“No matter how noble the intention, mortgage schemes only succeed when there are strong checks and enforcement mechanisms,” he said.

Clean land titles, anti-speculation measures urged

Okoro further stressed that all Renewed Hope Estate sites must have clean and verifiable land titles, noting that banks would be reluctant to finance properties with disputed ownership.

He also called for strict safeguards to prevent speculative purchases by government officials and politically connected individuals.

“In the past, mass housing schemes meant for ordinary Nigerians ended up in the hands of a few privileged individuals who later resold them at higher prices,” he said.

According to him, effective checks and balances are required to ensure that the houses reach the intended beneficiaries.

Economic benefits for states

The real estate expert argued that sustained mass housing delivery would generate long-term revenue for state governments through ground rents and land use charges.

“If the government succeeds in delivering millions of houses over time, states will benefit from consistent property-related revenues. Without housing development, these income streams are lost,” he added.

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The Federal Government has disclosed that about 15.2 million housing units across Nigeria are structurally inadequate, raising fresh concerns about safety, habitability, and access to basic services nationwide.

The disclosure was made by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, in a statement released on Tuesday.

According to the minister, the affected homes physically exist but fail to meet minimum standards for safety, durability, decent living conditions, and access to essential infrastructure such as water, sanitation, and electricity.

Dangiwa explained that the findings were produced under the National Housing Data Initiative and presented by the National Housing Data Technical Committee in Abuja.

He noted that Nigeria’s housing challenge extends beyond the shortage of new homes and includes widespread structural inadequacy in existing buildings.

The assessment, he said, applied internationally recognised tools such as the Household Crowding Index, Adequate Housing Index, and Composite Index Methodology, using data from the National Population Commission (NPC), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and other housing institutions, in line with World Bank standards.

Dangiwa said the harmonised approach now allows the government to state with confidence the scale of housing inadequacy across the country.

He stressed that addressing the challenge will require more than constructing new houses, urging a focus on upgrading existing housing stock, regenerating deteriorating neighbourhoods, and improving infrastructure and public services.

The minister added that housing inadequacy is also linked to affordability gaps, limited access to land, weak housing finance systems, and significant regional disparities.

Data from the assessment showed that Kano State recorded the highest level of housing inadequacy, while Bayelsa State recorded the lowest, based on the Adequate Housing Index.

As part of efforts to address the problem, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has begun steps to establish a National Housing Data Centre, which will support policymaking, housing finance access, investment planning, and large-scale housing delivery.

The Data Centre is expected to improve planning accuracy, boost investor confidence, and strengthen accountability in the housing market. It is projected to become operational by mid-January 2026.

The minister noted that the Federal Government is currently implementing housing interventions under the Renewed Hope Estates and Cities Programme, with projects at various stages of completion nationwide.

Renewed Hope Cities are large-scale developments planned across the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory, implemented through public-private partnerships.

Renewed Hope Estates, on the other hand, consist of smaller housing clusters of about 250 units, funded directly by the Federal Government, with state governments providing land and subsidised infrastructure to improve affordability.

Despite these initiatives, Dangiwa said Nigeria still faces a severe housing deficit, noting that closing the gap would require at least 550,000 new housing units annually, at an estimated cost of ₦5.5 trillion over the next decade.

The post FG Reveals 15.2 Million Nigerian Homes Are Structurally Inadequate appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

– Renewed Hope Estates: 12 estates, comprising 250 housing units each, across 12 states, with two states from each geo-political zone, under construction. The states include – Yobe, Gombe (North-East); Nasarawa, Benue (North-Central); Sokoto, Katsina (North-West); Abia, Ebonyi (South-East); Delta, Akwa Ibom (South-South); totalling 3,000 units.

– Renewed Hope Cities: These are larger urban projects which are being developed in the FCT (3,112 units), Kano (2,000 units), and Lagos (2,000 units), with additional cities planned in Enugu, Borno, Rivers, and Nasarawa. The goal is to build at least one Renewed Hope City in each geo-political zone of the country and the FCT.

– A significant number of these units are at the roofing stage, and the ministry is working closely with the developers towards their completion and inauguration. For instance, at the Renewed Hope City in Abuja, 1,000 units are near ready with only plastering, internal features remaining.

– Job Creation and Economic Impact: At an average of 25 jobs per house, the ongoing projects have directly and indirectly generated over 252,800 jobs for Nigerians, including skilled and unskilled workers.

– At an average daily wage of ₦5,000, many workers are earning over ₦150,000 monthly.

– From professionals such as architects, civil engineers, surveyors, skilled workers like masons, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, steel fixers, welders to labourers, security personnel, concrete pourers, excavation workers, the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates is unlocking the potential of housing construction as a veritable source of good paying jobs that are taking the youth off the streets.

HOME OWNERSHIP

The home ownership options include:

– The National Housing Fund (NHF) mortgage loan from the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria. This loan can offer Nigerians up to N50 million to purchase the house, pay back over 30 years, at a 6% interest rate instead of the 18-23% interest rates from commercial banks. What makes this NHF loan more interesting is that it requires a maximum of only 10% equity, compared to the up to 30% equity from commercial banks. What this means is that if you want a N10 million loan, all you need to have is N1 million.

– FMBN Rent-to-own. With this product by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, contributors to the National Housing Scheme are allowed to move into homes and pay gradually over 30 years without any upfront equity in monthly, quarterly or annual instalments towards owning the home at 7% interest rate.

– Outright purchase: There is an outright purchase option for those Nigerians who can afford to pay upfront.

– The option of payment by instalment is also available with up to four instalments allowable for convenience.

– A one-bedroom apartment at the Renewed Hope City in Karsana, built under a PPP model, costs about N22 million, while a similar unit under the Renewed Hope Estates, funded through budgetary allocations, costs approximately N8–9 million.

ONLINE ACCESS

– To streamline and ensure easy, transparent, and convenient access to the homes the Renewed Hope Online Housing Delivery Portal has been developed. This is an innovative and user-friendly platform where Nigerians can explore available housing units, apply, and track their ownership journey. Already, over 47,605 Nigerians have created accounts on the platform with over 1,000 paid applications recorded so far.

– It is a one-stop shop for homeownership. Nigerians do not need to lobby anyone to own a home under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme. You simply visit the site www.renewedhopehomes.fmhud.gov.ng, check the house you want, in the state that you want, apply, pay, and print a provisional letter of offer.

NATIONAL SOCIAL HOUSING FUND (NSHF)

– Progress has been made to establish a National Social Housing Fund (NSHF) in line with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda to ensure that all Nigerians including the low and no income, vulnerable and underprivileged groups have access to decent and dignified accommodation.

– A memo to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and an Executive Bill to the National Assembly is underway for the creation of a National Social Housing Fund. Potential sources of funding include budgetary provision, donations from philanthropic organisations, corporate social responsibility, and voluntary donations from Nigerians.

The post What You Must Know About the Ongoing Renewed Hope Cities and Estates: Affordable Housing and Job Creation Redefined appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

However, those developed through Public-Private Partnerships (Renewed Hope Cities) are priced at N22 million.

Dangiwa attributed the price disparity to differences in funding mechanisms, noting that Renewed Hope Estates are funded through budgetary provisions with subsidies for infrastructure and free land, ensuring affordability.

In contrast, Renewed Hope Cities, exclusive to the PPP model, rely on private developers who finance projects through high-interest loans and bear land acquisition and infrastructure costs, driving up prices.

The Housing Minister made this disclosure during a presentation at the State House Gallery, Aso Villa, on Sunday, 17th November 2024, with the speech later shared on the official website of the ministry.

“A one-bedroom apartment at the Renewed Hope City in Karsana, built under a PPP model, costs about N22 million, whereas a similar unit under the Renewed Hope Estates, funded through budgetary allocations, costs approximately N8–9 million.  

“The difference lies in the cost of finance. Under the Renewed Hope City model, developers purchase the land, and secure financing at double-digit interest rates, while as government, we facilate a Bankable Offtaker Guarantee from the FMBN. In contrast, Renewed Hope Estates are funded with interest-free allocations from the budget. State governments provide free land, and infrastructure costs are subsidized and excluded from the housing unit prices,” Dangiwa stated.

The Housing Minister outlined the rationale for adopting the PPP model, pointing to Nigeria’s housing deficit, which requires 550,000 units annually over the next decade at an estimated cost of N5.5 trillion per year. He explained that budgetary allocations alone are insufficient, making PPPs a critical strategy to scale housing delivery.

Dangiwa emphasized that PPP-driven Renewed Hope Cities cater to high- and middle-income earners who can afford market-rate housing, while Renewed Hope Estates are tailored for lower-income groups, ensuring inclusive access to housing.

More insight  

Dangiwa also highlighted the urgency of increasing the annual housing budget to effectively address Nigeria’s significant housing deficit, emphasizing that while PPPs are essential, the government must also allocate more funding to the Renewed Hope Housing Programme.

“As a Ministry, we have championed this advocacy, and there is now widespread recognition that the current N50 billion annual budget for housing is grossly inadequate compared to the N5.5 trillion required annually to address the housing deficit,” he said.

• The Minister stated that the Ministry has engaged the National Assembly leadership and gained their support for increasing the annual housing budget to a minimum of N500 billion, starting with the 2025 budget cycle.

• This increase, he noted, would enable the expansion of housing projects to cover the remaining 18 states and raise the unit count per state from 250 to at least 500, as originally planned.

The Minister reiterated that this funding boost is critical for ensuring the Renewed Hope Housing Programme meets its goals of addressing the housing needs of all Nigerians, particularly those in underserved areas, while expanding its reach and impact nationwide.

Source; nairametrics

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