Housing experts have advocated the establishment of a low-income housing fund, which would be financed through a tax on luxury properties.
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The issue of land rights for marginalised communities continues to pose a significant challenge and the fund, in conjunction with other financial instruments, aims to provide essential support for community redevelopment.

They also suggested a land titling system that empowers low-income groups to secure titles for their land, thereby promoting stability and ownership within these communities.

The experts, comprising housing justice advocates, civil society, and urban planners gathered at a webinar titled “Housing Struggles and Socio-Spatial Justice in Urban Africa” to explore solutions to the growing crisis in the city. The programme was organised by Africa Urbanism + Justice Initiative, Lincoln Architecture, Heritage and Urbanism of West Africa Centre, and Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, University of Lagos.

According to a World Bank report, Lagos, a city with a population of about 21 million, has around 60 per cent of its inhabitants living in slums or informal settlements. These settlements are often characterised by poor living conditions, limited access to resources, and lack of formal recognition.
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Co-founder, Rethinking Cities, Deji Akinpelu, explained that slums and informal settlements in Lagos are often characterised by poor living conditions, limited access to resources and services, and lack of formal recognition or support from political and institutional systems.

According to him, the political processes and practices have often resulted in these communities being targeted for housing development for affluent groups of the city’s growing population, leading to several reported cases of forced evictions.

Akinpelu said: “This means that they may not have legal rights to the land they live on, which makes them vulnerable to eviction. It also makes it difficult for them to access government services and benefits. The demographic makeup of slums in Lagos, Nigeria is diverse, with migrants from other West African countries making up a significant proportion of the population.”

“Lagos has a long history of evictions,” Akinpelu said. “Since the 1970s, informal settlements have been targeted for urban renewal projects. But the reality is that these evictions cause pain; people lose their homes, their livelihoods, and, in some cases, even their lives.

“In 2023, one of the most recent evictions took place in Oworonshoki, where thousands were forcibly removed from their homes. “These are not isolated incidents,” Akinpelu explained. “The state government continues to carry out evictions, prioritising luxury developments over the rights of the poor.”

Akinpelu said that the government justifies these evictions as development, but they are a ploy to “hide the poor.” He cited evictions from settlements visible from major roads, such as the Third Mainland Bridge.

“The city’s poor are not invisible, and they cannot continue to be pushed aside in the name of progress. We are working to make the government see housing as a social necessity, not just an economic opportunity,” Akinpelu added. “It’s not enough to build luxury housing when so many people are being displaced. Housing is a social good, and until the government recognises this, the cycle of displacement and injustice will continue.”
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President of the Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation, Bimbo Osobe, echoed this perspective, describing the harsh effects of unjust evictions: “When people are forcefully evicted, there are health consequences. There’s the issue of rape, exposure to harsh weather, and increased vulnerability to health problems.”

She expressed the need for sustained dialogue between affected communities and the government. She explained that while rallies have made an impact, they have not led to lasting change. Instead, engaging academics and members of civil society has opened doors for improvement.

“We still need the academics to facilitate more dialogue. This would yield better results than protesting on the streets. When we held discussions, some bodies from the government and civil societies responded,” Osobe stated. “We have seen some results, like the provision of social amenities in the communities, but we need to see more.”

Co-convener of Housing Justice, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), Alexandre Frediani, outlined a framework for addressing housing injustice by tackling inequalities and historical discriminatory legacies.

He emphasised the need for policies that promote reparatory housing interventions and democratic approaches to housing production and management.

“Engage with communities and local authorities. Build houses with the communities, not for them. These approaches prioritise community-driven solutions, protecting and expanding democratic practices in housing development,” he said.

He highlighted the importance of local leadership in advocacy. “We’ve engaged young politicians in Lagos to bring attention to housing injustice,” Akinpelu explained. “These politicians are instrumental in getting the state government to respond to the needs of these communities.”
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Akinpelu emphasised that while international organisations provide crucial support, local players are equally important. “We have to engage local leaders, like the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), to defend the rights of these communities,” he said. “Forced evictions are not just economic issues; they are human rights violations.”

“There’s no quick solution,” Akinpelu admitted. “But by bringing together international and local players, we can begin finding ways to make cities more inclusive.”

Co-Director, Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, University of Lagos, Prof Tiabiat Lawanson, emphasised the urgent need to discuss housing justice and the right to the city, especially with the growing impact of climate change and rapid urban development.

She also stressed the importance of finding localised, implementable solutions through collaborative efforts and learning from global perspectives, saying “We need to prioritise human-centred development, ensuring that men, women, children, and people living with disabilities are at the core of our urban planning efforts.”
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