Key points
- Federal Government has officially adopted a 15 million-unit national housing deficit estimate.
- The figure is based on the World Bank Adequate Housing Index and UN-Habitat Household Crowding Index.
- Government plans a new housing regulation policy to improve construction standards and protect homebuyers.
- The report will be submitted to the Federal Executive Council after stakeholder validation.
Main story
The Federal Government has officially adopted a housing deficit of 15 million units, replacing years of varying estimates with a nationally validated figure based on international housing assessment standards.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Muttaqha Darma, announced the new benchmark on Tuesday at the Stakeholders Validation Workshop on the National Housing Data Programme in Abuja.
According to the minister, the estimate was developed by the ministry’s Technical Committee using the World Bank Adequate Housing Index and the UN-Habitat Household Crowding Index, providing what the government described as a more credible basis for housing policy and investment planning.
Darma said the new figure resolves longstanding discrepancies that had placed Nigeria’s housing deficit at between 15 million and 28 million units.
“The North-West and North-East remain the regions under the greatest housing pressure due to rapid population growth and inadequate housing supply.”
He urged stakeholders participating in the validation exercise to scrutinise the methodology before the report is forwarded to the Federal Executive Council for approval.
Beyond establishing a national housing benchmark, the government is also proposing a National Housing and Built Environment Regulation Policy aimed at strengthening planning, improving housing delivery and boosting investor confidence.
According to Darma, the proposed framework will regulate property developers, improve construction quality and protect prospective homeowners from fraudulent practices.
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, said reliable housing data would enable evidence-based policymaking and strengthen monitoring of housing programmes across the country.
He noted that fragmented data systems and weak regulatory frameworks had undermined effective planning, discouraged investment and slowed sustainable housing development.
Participants at the three-day workshop are expected to validate the National Housing Data Framework and recommend measures to strengthen housing regulation nationwide before the final report is presented to the Federal Executive Council.
The issues
Nigeria has long lacked a universally accepted estimate of its housing deficit, with different institutions quoting figures ranging from 15 million to nearly 30 million units. Establishing a standard methodology could improve planning, guide investment decisions and provide a clearer benchmark for measuring progress toward reducing the country’s housing shortage.
What’s being said
“The North-West and North-East remain the regions under the greatest housing pressure due to rapid population growth and inadequate housing supply.”
“Government was proposing a National Housing and Built Environment Regulation Policy to improve planning, housing delivery and investor confidence.”
Bottom line
By adopting a single, internationally benchmarked housing deficit estimate, the Federal Government hopes to replace years of conflicting data with a common reference point for housing policy, investment and regulation.
