The Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria (AHCN) has called for the establishment of a National Housing Delivery Framework and dedicated Housing Infrastructure Funds to drive large-scale affordable housing production and bridge the country’s widening housing deficit.

The association also decried the continued dependence of many developers on imported conventional building materials, warning that rising inflation and foreign exchange volatility have significantly increased construction costs and worsened the housing affordability crisis.

It urged stakeholders to embrace alternative building materials developed by the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), adding that greater adoption of locally produced materials would reduce construction costs and make housing more affordable for low- and middle-income earners.

AHCN further expressed concern over the widening housing shortage, noting that the growing gap between housing demand and supply requires stronger collaboration among governments, financial institutions and development partners to deliver practical and sustainable housing solutions.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its two-day National Workshop on ‘Affordable Housing Solutions for Low-Income Earners in Emerging Real Estate Markets’ and the 49th Annual General Meeting/114th Council Meeting held in Calabar, Cross River State, the association urged banks and multilateral funding agencies to design financing frameworks tailored to the operational realities of government-owned housing corporations.

It also commended the collaborative programme proposed by Shelter Afrique Development Bank to bring together housing corporations, government agencies, developers, financial institutions and development partners to transform housing concepts into bankable projects capable of attracting affordable long-term capital for mass housing delivery.

According to the communiqué, state housing corporations should leverage the credit window under the initiative to accelerate the delivery of affordable mass housing for low- and medium-income earners.

The association lamented that many Nigerians had lost confidence in government housing agencies due to their inability to provide affordable housing, particularly for low-income households. It, therefore, urged state governments to reposition and strengthen their housing corporations through institutional reforms that would enable them to effectively discharge their mandates under the National Housing Policy.

AHCN also criticised the stringent conditions attached to housing construction finance, particularly the requirement for sovereign or bank guarantees, describing them as major obstacles preventing state housing corporations from accessing long-term funds for affordable housing projects.

It said the financing conditions had made it difficult, and in many cases virtually impossible, for housing corporations to secure funding for credible housing projects targeted at low-income earners.

The communiqué, signed by AHCN President, Eno Obogha, and Executive Secretary, Toye Eniola, advocated innovative housing finance mechanisms and industrialised construction technologies, including prefabricated housing, precast concrete systems and modular construction, to reduce costs and accelerate project delivery.

The association encouraged state housing agencies to embrace innovative partnerships and business models to overcome the challenges posed by inflation and the broader economic environment.

It also expressed concern over the growing number of completed but unoccupied houses in Abuja and Lagos, observing that many privately developed homes remain beyond the reach of the people who need them most.

According to the association, the mismatch between housing supply and affordability underscores the urgent need for governments to support housing corporations by improving access to land banking, development finance, and basic infrastructure. The workshop also called for the establishment of a National Housing Delivery Framework and dedicated Housing Infrastructure Funds to support large-scale affordable housing production nationwide.

The association also urged state governments to revitalise housing corporations, describing them as strategic institutions that once drove mass housing delivery but have gradually lost relevance because of years of neglect and inadequate government support.

AHCN further criticised the practice by some state governments of merging housing corporations with ministries responsible for housing or lands, arguing that such actions undermine their statutory responsibilities and further widen the country’s affordable housing deficit.

The association welcomed the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria’s deployment of digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence to expand access to housing finance for workers in the informal sector through cooperative housing schemes.

It also advocated stronger collaboration among the Family Homes Fund, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and the MOFI Real Estate Investment Fund (MREIF) to mobilise long-term finance, strengthen mortgage origination and accelerate affordable housing delivery nationwide.