The Federal Government has officially pegged Nigeria’s housing deficit at 15 million units, adopting internationally recognised housing standards to strengthen policy formulation and accelerate access to affordable housing across the country.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Muttaqha Darma, disclosed this on Tuesday during the Stakeholders’ Validation Workshop on the National Housing Data Programme held in Abuja.
According to the minister, the new estimate was developed by the ministry’s Technical Committee using the World Bank Adequate Housing Index and the UN-Habitat Household Crowding Index.
North-West, North-East Face Greatest Housing Pressure
Darma said the North-West and North-East geopolitical zones currently face the highest housing pressure due to rapid population growth and inadequate housing supply.
He noted that the new assessment has resolved years of uncertainty over conflicting estimates of Nigeria’s housing deficit, which previously ranged from 15 million to 28 million housing units.
The minister urged stakeholders to validate the methodology used in the assessment before the report is presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.
FG Proposes New Housing Regulation Policy
To improve housing delivery and boost investor confidence, Darma disclosed that the Federal Government is developing a National Housing and Built Environment Regulation Policy.
According to him, the proposed policy will regulate housing developers, strengthen construction quality standards and protect prospective homeowners from fraudulent practices in the real estate sector.
He said the initiative is part of broader efforts to improve planning, enhance transparency and create a more efficient housing market.
Reliable Housing Data Critical to Planning
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Shuaib Belgore, emphasised the importance of credible housing data in driving evidence-based policy decisions.
He said reliable data would improve the planning, implementation and monitoring of housing programmes across Nigeria.
Belgore also identified fragmented housing data systems and weak regulatory frameworks as major obstacles to effective planning, investment and sustainable housing development.
Stakeholders to Validate Housing Data Framework
Participants at the three-day stakeholders’ workshop are expected to review and validate the National Housing Data Framework, as well as recommend measures to strengthen housing regulation and improve data-driven decision-making in the sector.
The Federal Government believes the adoption of globally accepted housing standards will provide a more accurate picture of Nigeria’s housing needs and support efforts to reduce the country’s housing deficit through targeted policies and increased investment.
