In the Midst of Nigeria's Urban Housing Crisis: 'The Rains...It Started With A Few Drops&#39

New SitiTalkTV Video Series: Part of Our "Welcome to Nigeria Series". As the housing crisis in so many parts of Nigeria gets worse, that last thing we need is a housing estate flood disaster. Watch SitiTalkTV Video "'The Rains...It Started With A Few Drops...'

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June 26, 2016: Previously Published on SitiTalkBlog: Africa's Housing Crisis

Photo credit and copyright: SitiTalkBlog

In June 2015, CNN published a special report, “'Young Africa is facing a housing crisis -- and time is running out" by James Mugerwa, managing director of Shelter Afrique, a Pan-African Housing Institution. The Mugerwa report talked about the worsening housing crisis in Africa that is “under the radar” and which still does not appear to be “a priority item for governments and institutions.” The Mugerwa report also pointed out that as the population of countries in Africa population is increasing, so will the population in urban areas relative to the rural regions. The report noted that “Africa will experience a population boom in almost of all its major economies. Nigeria is expected to have 174 million people between the age of 15-64 by 2035; in the Democratic Republic of Congo that number is predicted to be 70 million, in Kenya that number is 45 million and in South Africa that number is 40 million. Everywhere on the continent is expected to swell in numbers in the next two decades according to a UN-Habitat State of the World Cities Report.”

In November 2010, UN-Habitat (the United Nations Human Settlements Program) published a poignant report on the current and projected worsening state of African cities. The report confirmed that Africa is the fastest urbanizing continent in the world and that by 2030 "Africa’s collective population will become 50 percent urban" (UN-Habitat, 2010:1).

Lagos, which can be referred to the current commercial capital of Nigeria and the former federal capital of Nigeria, is the country’s economic hub and largest city. With a current population approaching 20 million people and this number is projected to double by 2050.

The CNN Mugerwa report highlights lack of housing in countries in sub-Saharan countries, especially countries like Nigeria considered to be major economies: “In Nigeria the housing deficit is estimated to be 17 million units annually. In nearby Ghana an estimated 170,000 housing units are required every year over the next 10 years." The Report also noted then that "the 2013 Housing Survey by the Ministry of Lands and Housing in Kenya doesn't fare any better with the deficit estimated at 2 million houses over the next 10 years.”

Interestingly, in Nigeria and in much of Sub-Saharan Africa, like all other aspects of human development and needs, housing planning for the growing population and to meet increasing demands of urbanization, has been largely neglected. There are no constructive and methodical national housing policies and planning to tackle the housing deficit which is worsening by the day. In addition, in most cities in major economies like Nigeria, available housing is largely not affordable, especially for younger working adults, although many older individuals are also not able to afford decent housing. The depth of corruption and roguery in the government for over fifty years and still ongoing has worsened the housing issues due to continued embezzlement of available resources for various aspects of urban development.

Clearly, African countries are in dire need of effective housing policies and planning implementation in order to begin to tackle the current significant deficit in available, affordable and decent houses.

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