UNILAG Professor Timothy Nubi urges urban regeneration, improved infrastructure and stronger housing policies.

A Professor of Estate Management and Valuation at the University of Lagos, Timothy Nubi, has urged the Nigerian government to shift its housing policy from constructing buildings to developing sustainable, inclusive and resilient communities.

Nubi made the call during the second lecture series of the Folawiyo Entrepreneurship Centre (FEC), Yaba College of Technology, held on Wednesday.

The lecture was themed, “Sustainable Estate Development in Nigeria: Building Resilient Communities Through Clean Water, Clean Energy and Innovation.”

The don said housing delivery should not be measured solely by the number of houses constructed or settlements cleared. Instead, he said, the focus should be on affordability, functionality, inclusion, environmental responsibility and long-term resilience.

According to Nubi, Nigeria’s housing crisis extends beyond inadequate housing units to issues involving affordability, infrastructure, environmental risks, quality and institutional capacity.

“Sustainable estate development should integrate land, buildings, infrastructure, institutions and human communities to create long-term social, economic and environmental value,” he said.

Nubi Advocates Urban Regeneration

Nubi called for urban regeneration and in-situ upgrading to become central components of Nigeria’s housing strategy, particularly in underserved communities that can be improved and made safer.

He advocated development-led urban management, which would combine land-use planning, infrastructure development, environmental management, housing rehabilitation, tenure security, local economic development and community participation.

He said in-situ upgrading should be prioritised where settlements could be made safe and resilient.

Such interventions, he explained, should include improved roads and drainage systems, clean water, sanitation, electricity, waste management, public spaces, social facilities and housing rehabilitation.

Nubi also recommended phased implementation to allow residents to remain in their communities whenever possible.

He warned that temporary relocation, where unavoidable, should include clear information, fair compensation, secure return rights or suitable nearby accommodation, as well as protection for residents’ livelihoods.

Professor Warns Against Forced Displacement

The university lecturer cautioned that urban regeneration could lead to unintended consequences, including land speculation, rising rents, forced displacement and the replacement of low-income residents by wealthier groups.

To address these risks, he recommended tenure regularisation, affordability safeguards, community land arrangements, transparent valuation and inclusive financing.

Nubi also rejected the perception that sustainability only increases real estate development costs. He argued that its benefits should be evaluated through lifecycle costs.

He said responsible infrastructure and environmentally sustainable systems could reduce expenses linked to energy consumption, water supply, infrastructure failure, flood damage, maintenance and environmental degradation.

He added that sustainable estate development could improve reliability, strengthen resilience, reduce operating costs and preserve long-term property value.

Nubi urged government agencies, developers, financial institutions, professional bodies, communities, technology providers and educational institutions to work together.

He said government should provide effective spatial planning, efficient development approvals, infrastructure coordination, environmental regulation, building standards and supportive financial frameworks.

According to him, the private sector should contribute investment, innovation and infrastructure development.

YABATECH Management Highlights Entrepreneurship

Earlier, the Rector of Yaba College of Technology, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, urged students and staff to use entrepreneurship, innovation and practical knowledge to address Nigeria’s environmental and developmental challenges.

Abdul said the lecture series was designed to expand the institution’s entrepreneurial activities and expose members of the college community to practical enterprise opportunities.

He noted that the Folawiyo Entrepreneurship Centre was established through the support of Chief Tunde Fanimokun in honour of his benefactor, Chief Iyanda Olayinka Folawiyo.

The rector said Folawiyo’s entrepreneurial legacy across trading, oil and gas, energy, shipping, agriculture and real estate informed the centre’s activities.

He also described the programme’s focus on clean water, clean energy and sustainable communities as consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 6, 7 and 11.

The Chairman of the Folawiyo Entrepreneurship Centre, Chief Tunde Fanimokun, encouraged students to embrace entrepreneurship as a pathway to sustainability, personal development and wealth creation.

He urged students to take advantage of the centre’s opportunities, mentorship and practical knowledge.

Fanimokun identified real estate as a major avenue for wealth creation and advised students to pursue activities aligned with their interests.

The Director of the Entrepreneurship Centre, Dr Funmilayo Adeoye, challenged students to transform innovative ideas into sustainable businesses capable of addressing real-world challenges.

She said the centre would provide opportunities for funding, mentorship, expertise and industry partnerships to help promising ideas develop into viable enterprises.

The programme also featured awards for staff and students who emerged winners in the centre’s business idea pitchathon.

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A professor at the has revealed that nearly 40 percent of university lecturers in Nigeria now sleep in their offices due to the country’s worsening housing crisis.

The disclosure was made by , a professor of estate management and housing advocate, during a housing policy event held at the university in .

Rising Rent Pushing Lecturers Out of Housing Market

According to Nubi, the sharp rise in rental costs around major urban centres, especially around the campus in Akoka, has made accommodation unaffordable for many academics.

“I stand here to tell you today that almost 40 percent of lecturers in universities sleep in their offices,” he said.

“They sleep in their offices. You see them taking baths around the faculty every morning. That is the state of the country.”

The professor cited a recent case where a two-bedroom apartment around Akoka was rented for ₦3.5 million per year, a price he said is far beyond what most lecturers can comfortably afford.

According to him, such rent could amount to about seven months of a professor’s salary.

Nigeria’s Housing Deficit Continues to Grow

Nubi said the situation facing lecturers reflects a broader national housing crisis affecting millions of Nigerians.

He explained that Nigeria’s housing deficit has expanded significantly over the years, rising from about five million units decades ago to an estimated 17–22 million housing units today.

“Instead of the problem reducing, the problem keeps increasing,” he noted.

Calls for Inclusive Housing Policies

The professor made the remarks during a forum organised by the in partnership with the , the , and other housing advocacy groups.

Participants at the event stressed the need for inclusive housing policies that ensure affordable accommodation for workers and low-income residents.

Nubi cited international examples where developers are required to allocate a percentage of housing units for essential workers such as teachers and drivers in order to create mixed-income communities.

Concerns Over Demolitions and Displacement

Civil society organisations also criticised forced evictions and demolitions in some urban communities, particularly areas like , which they say have worsened housing insecurity for low-income residents.

Housing experts warned that failure to address housing inequality could lead to wider social instability and urged policymakers to work with researchers and civil society groups to develop sustainable solutions.

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Experts from the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development (CHSD), University of Lagos (UNILAG), and the African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC) have called for immediate intervention in high-risk, flood-prone communities in Lagos to avert large-scale damage to lives, homes and infrastructure.

The warning was issued during a Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on the Ajegunle-Ikorodu Action Research on Climate Resilience held at the Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

Lagos at Growing Risk

Speaking at the forum, CHSD Co-Director and Action Research for Climate Resilience Lead, Peter Elias, revealed that precipitation levels in Lagos are projected to double by 2050. He cautioned that without proactive adaptation measures, rising sea levels could leave nearly 50 per cent of the city underwater by 2100.

Elias explained that while climate change is a global phenomenon that cannot be entirely eliminated, its impacts can be mitigated through forward-looking urban planning and resilient infrastructure.

According to him, vulnerable communities—particularly informal settlements along lagoon and ocean frontiers—face the greatest threat. He noted that Ajegunle-Ikorodu was selected for the research because of its low-lying coastal terrain and escalating rainfall patterns.

“Flooding in the area is not solely linked to rainfall or dam releases but also to ocean surges caused by backflow from the Atlantic Ocean,” Elias said.

44,000 Residents Exposed

The study found that more than 44,000 residents and over 6,000 buildings in Ajegunle-Ikorodu are exposed to flood risks, with the most vulnerable zones located in the lowest-lying sections of the community.

Elias added that rapid urbanisation, inadequate drainage systems and indiscriminate waste disposal have compounded the problem, placing homes, businesses and public infrastructure under increasing strain.

He warned that existing infrastructure design standards are insufficient to withstand projected future climate conditions. Local drainage systems currently built for five- to 10-year storm events, he said, must be upgraded to accommodate 25-year storms under RCP 4.5 and 50-year storms under RCP 8.5 climate scenarios.

“Major drainage channels should be expanded to handle 50- to 100-year design capacity. Roads and culverts require additional freeboard of between 0.5 and 1.0 metres, while critical facilities such as schools and markets must be elevated above projected flood levels,” he stated.

Global Relevance of Local Action

The City Manager of ACRC, Temilade Sesan, highlighted the global importance of the initiative, noting that Lagos is contributing significantly to international discussions on climate-smart urban transformation.

She explained that ACRC adopts a long-term theory-of-change approach, defining future goals and working backwards to determine the steps required today to achieve resilient outcomes.

Council Backs Research-Driven Solutions

Chairman of Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, Adetola Abubakar, described flooding and other climate-related challenges in the area as serious but surmountable.

She commended CHSD and ACRC for pursuing sustainable, research-based interventions and assured stakeholders of the council’s readiness to support implementation of recommended strategies.

Abubakar noted that Agboyi-Ketu is uniquely vulnerable due to its riverine and island geography. The Agboyi I, II and III communities sit within the Lagos Lagoon, while Ajegunle lies along interconnected creeks, increasing exposure to tidal surges and heavy rainfall events.

Toward a Resilient Future

Founding Director of CHSD, Timothy Nubi, described Ajegunle-Ikorodu as highly vulnerable to climate hazards and emphasised that collaboration between research institutions and local authorities is essential to building resilience.

He said the partnership aims to deliver practical, community-based strategies that address both immediate flooding challenges and long-term sustainability.

A community representative, Olawale Oyeneye, who has participated in the research since June 2025, praised the inclusive data-gathering process. He said residents’ involvement has helped identify additional community needs, including improved schools and 24-hour healthcare services.

As climate threats intensify, experts at the forum stressed that timely intervention, infrastructure upgrades and coordinated planning are critical to safeguarding Lagos’ coastal communities and ensuring the city’s long-term resilience.

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