In today’s Nigeria, many young workers find that a large portion of their monthly income is swallowed up by house rent. This harsh reality highlights a critical socio-economic problem—the country’s glaring housing deficit. In this article, I explore the challenges surrounding housing in Nigeria and propose viable solutions to bridge the growing gap between demand and supply, especially for low-income earners.
Housing as a Fundamental Human Right
Housing is not just a basic necessity—it is a fundamental human right recognized globally. According to the United Nations, every individual deserves access to safe, secure, and habitable homes. Unfortunately, the Nigerian government has largely neglected this responsibility. The housing sector suffers from poor regulation, minimal strategic planning, and a lack of genuine efforts to close the widening housing gap that affects millions of citizens.
The Human Cost: A Personal Story of Struggle and Its Consequences
At a recent event, a woman recounted her childhood experience living in a cramped one-room self-contained apartment that her family never left from her early years until she graduated from university. This prolonged struggle with inadequate housing shaped her and her siblings profoundly. She revealed that growing up in such conditions instilled in them a deep fear of poverty, pushing them towards relentless hustling—sometimes through unethical or even illegal means. Their motivation was survival at any cost, driven by a shared resolve never to live a simple, “honest” life like their parents, who remained trapped in that single-room dwelling with four children.
Her story exemplifies the far-reaching social impact of Nigeria’s housing crisis. Beyond physical shelter, inadequate housing fosters trauma, fear, and desperation, which can influence life choices and sometimes lead to criminal behavior. If unchecked, this cycle of poverty and insecurity perpetuates itself across generations.
The Economic and Social Dimensions of Housing Deficit
Housing challenges are more than personal woes—they impact national productivity and social stability. Every Nigerian family spends a significant part of their income on rent, yet most housing policies tend to focus on middle- and high-income earners, neglecting the majority who earn low wages. This neglect exacerbates the divide between the rich and the poor, forcing many into overcrowded slums lacking basic social infrastructure, stripping them of dignity and opportunities.
Research published in the Journal of Surveying, Construction, and Property (JSCP) emphasizes that homeownership plays a critical role in alleviating extreme poverty and narrowing wealth disparities. Furthermore, studies indicate that proceeds from crime and corruption often funnel into real estate, suggesting a possible link between early-life housing insecurity and later involvement in illicit activities, which also contributes to national insecurity.
Learning from Malaysia: A Model Worth Adopting
Malaysia offers a compelling example of government intervention in housing. Its “My First Home Scheme” provides a government-backed 10% deposit for homebuyers, a sum the beneficiary does not have to repay. This initiative helps young people afford their first homes and includes transitional housing for youths in urban areas. Researchers Daley and Moms (2011) highlight homeownership as a form of social protection that enhances the productivity of a nation’s workforce.
Nigeria can adapt this approach by implementing public-private partnerships (PPP) modeled on Malaysia’s system. In this setup, the government retains control by setting development requirements and fixing prices for affordable housing units. Each Nigerian state can tailor these requirements to its unique needs and challenges, ensuring that low-cost housing projects meet local demands effectively.
The Role of Policy and Technology in Bridging the Housing Gap
The 2012 National Housing Policy of Nigeria, if properly implemented, provides a roadmap for addressing the housing shortage. It calls for a computerized open registration system for developers and an integrated database to track supply and demand for affordable housing. Such technology-driven transparency could enhance efficiency and help Nigeria meet the United Nations’ goal of “Housing for All by 2030.”
However, to succeed, the government must establish strict oversight mechanisms to eliminate favoritism, excessive bureaucracy, and corruption—barriers that have historically prevented low-income earners from benefiting from housing initiatives.
Regulating the Rental Market: Protecting Tenants from Exploitation
While long-term structural reforms are underway, immediate action is needed to control exploitative practices in the rental market. Unscrupulous house agents often demand exorbitant fees—sometimes up to 40% of the rent—which further burdens tenants already struggling with high housing costs.
To address this, the government should mandate the registration and listing of all rental properties. Additionally, a regulatory committee comprising estate valuers, professional property managers, and government officials should be formed to enforce a strict code of conduct for house agents at all levels. This regulatory framework will help ensure fair practices, protect tenants’ rights, and restore confidence in the housing market.
Conclusion
Nigeria’s housing deficit is a multifaceted problem with deep social and economic consequences. Addressing it requires bold government intervention, innovative policy adaptations like those seen in Malaysia, technological modernization, and firm regulation of the rental market. Most importantly, the government must prioritize affordable housing for low-income earners, recognizing housing not just as an economic commodity but as a fundamental human right essential to dignity, stability, and national progress.
