A Housing advocacy group, the Africa International Housing Show (AIHS), has urged the federal government to implement sweeping housing reforms capable of transforming Nigeria’s economy, creating millions of jobs, reducing poverty and expanding access to affordable housing for low-income earners and informal sector workers.
   
AIHS Chief Executive Officer, Festus Adebayo, who made the call ahead of the 20th anniversary edition of the event in Abuja, said housing should no longer be treated merely as a social welfare programme but recognised as a strategic economic sector capable of driving industrialisation, investment, employment generation and inclusive economic growth.
 
Speaking on the proposed theme, “Housing Solutions for Low Income and Informal Workers in Africa,” he noted that countries that have achieved sustainable economic development have done so by placing housing at the centre of their national development strategies.
   
Adebayo said, “Housing is far more than the construction of buildings. It is an engine of economic growth. It creates jobs, stimulates manufacturing, supports financial services, promotes urban development, improves public health, strengthens family stability and contributes significantly to national productivity.”
   
He noted that though Nigeria faces one of the world’s largest housing deficits, the challenge also presents a major opportunity to stimulate economic growth and promote social inclusion through targeted reforms.
   
To unlock the sector’s potential, the organisation outlined a 10-point policy agenda for the federal government, beginning with the declaration of housing as a national economic priority with measurable targets for job creation, wealth generation and industrial development.
   
The organisation also called for the establishment of a Presidential Affordable Housing Delivery Council comprising federal and state governments, development finance institutions, private sector operators, professional bodies, cooperatives and representatives of informal workers to coordinate housing reforms nationwide.
   
Adebayo urged the government to work with state governments to modernise land administration by digitising land registries, simplifying title registration, reducing consent fees, shortening approval timelines and making serviced land more readily available for affordable housing projects.
   
He further advocated expanding access to long-term housing finance through mortgage institutions, cooperative housing schemes, rent-to-own programmes, micro-mortgages and other financing models tailored to low-income households and informal sector workers.
   
While commending the federal government’s Renewed Hope Housing Programme, the group recommended that future housing estates reserve a significant proportion of units for civil servants, artisans, market traders, transport workers, young professionals and other low-income groups through transparent affordability mechanisms.
   
It also called for increased support for local production of building materials and wider adoption of modern construction technologies to reduce dependence on imported inputs and lower construction costs.
   
AIHS stressed the need for stronger public-private partnerships involving developers, mortgage institutions, pension fund administrators, insurance companies, development partners and institutional investors to accelerate affordable housing delivery.
   
Among others, it also proposed the establishment of a national housing observatory to generate reliable data on housing demand, supply, affordability, land availability, informal settlements and construction trends to support evidence-based policymaking.
   
Recognising that a large proportion of Nigerians work outside the formal employment sector, the organisation urged the government to develop dedicated housing policies and financing products for artisans, traders, farmers, transport operators and other informal workers.
   
He also called on state governments, members of the National Assembly, financial institutions, development partners, professional bodies, manufacturers, researchers, civil society organisations and international agencies to collaborate in addressing Africa’s housing deficit.