The Federal Government has announced plans to make the long-awaited National Housing Data Centre (NHDC) fully operational by December, a move expected to transform Nigeria’s housing and real estate policy landscape through credible, evidence-based data.

The initiative, coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (FMHUD), brings together key public and private stakeholders to harmonise housing statistics across the country, track progress in addressing the housing deficit, and provide accurate information for policymaking and investment decisions.

The Chairman, Technical Committee, National Housing Data Programme (NHDP), Dr Taofeeq Olatinwo, told The Guardian that the NHDC will operate as a federated system, allowing states, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to feed data at regular intervals into a unified national platform.

This approach aims to ensure both state-level disaggregation and national coordination, enabling the government to identify housing gaps, affordability trends, and emerging urban patterns.

“The target is for the NHDC to go live in December 2025,” Olatinwo said. “It will be a federated system with inputs from states, MDAs, and private developers at defined frequencies, in line with global standards.”

In a bid to ensure international credibility, the NHDC is being designed using global housing data standards and definitions, working closely with development partners such as the World Bank, African Union for Housing Finance (AUHF), Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (CAHF), and HOFINET.

These organisations are providing technical support to align Nigeria’s data architecture with accepted indicators, key performance metrics, and reporting dashboards used globally.

The centre will measure not only housing stock but also the ‘flow’ (new builds, demolitions, conversions) and ‘use’ (occupancy, under-occupancy, and abandonment) of housing assets. He said the data structure captures the seven dimensions of the housing deficit, providing a complete picture of the nation’s housing ecosystem.

He said, “NHDC will evolve into a professionally run Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with skilled personnel responsible for data validation, quality assurance, and regular updates,” Olatinwo explained. “Frequency and refresh standards have been defined using global benchmarks to ensure integrity and reliability.”

Unlike past initiatives restricted to institutional users, the NHDC will be open to public access, allowing policymakers, investors, researchers, and citizens to view housing data through an online dashboard. The portal, built on the existing Housing Market Information Portal (HMIP) hosted by the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), will integrate inputs from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), National Population Commission (NPC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and other agencies.

He said the ministry has also begun engaging state governments to ensure nationwide participation. Six states were consulted in July 2025, forming the foundation for broader engagement across all 36 states. “We are engaging with states, local governments, and the private sector to encourage full participation,” Olatinwo noted. “Our goal is to make the NHDC a collaborative data ecosystem, not just a federal repository.”

The NHDC project is supported by a Joint Committee comprising representatives from leading housing and finance institutions, including Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (FMHUD), Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), National Population Commission (NPC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), and Federal Housing Authority (FHA).

Others are Family Homes Funds Limited (FHFL), Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria (AHCN), Mortgage Bankers Association of Nigeria (MBAN), Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) and The Homes Group.

The committee is tasked with delivering a comprehensive blueprint covering technical specifications, data-gathering frameworks, legal documentation, and commercial models.

The plan envisions NHDC’s gradual transition from a government programme to a self-sustaining SPV operating as a business entity to ensure long-term sustainability.

The NHDC blueprint outlines several core deliverables, including the establishment of a centre and coordinated data-gathering channels from public and private institutions, integration of housing data into state and federal housing agencies to facilitate affordable housing delivery and access to finance.

It includes the creation of a distribution channel for housing data to institutional and retail investors in Nigeria’s financial markets, the development of a housing price index and infrastructure to support the broader housing value chain.

He said data from NHDC will directly inform housing policy formulation, budget allocations, and subsidy targeting. “The metrics have been tailored to help government identify social housing needs and track the impact of policy interventions,” Olatinwo added.

Despite strong institutional backing, he disclosed that the initiative faces hurdles, particularly in funding and capacity building needed to establish the SPV and sustain operations. However, the ministry remains optimistic, citing support from development partners and Nigeria’s financial sector as key enablers.

According to him, if implemented successfully, the NHDC could mark a turning point for Nigeria’s housing development, shifting the conversation from speculation to evidence-based action.