By Adaobi Rhema Oguejiofor
It is no longer news that Nigeria faces a serious housing deficit; however, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arch. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has disclosed that the nation is not the only place in the continent with such issues.
While speaking at the 7th Africa Housing Awards in Abuja, the minister stated that not only Nigeria, but Africa as a whole is facing a housing deficit of at least 50 million units, accompanied by a $1.4 trillion gap in housing finance.
According to him, the housing crisis remains one of the continent’s most urgent development challenges, as the deficit trajectory is worsening and could rise to about 130 million housing units by 2030 if solutions are not accelerated.
In his words, “Housing is one of Africa’s most critical development pressures, and about 54 million Africans currently live in urban slums, reflecting the scale of unmet demand driven by rapid urbanisation, weak housing finance systems, and limited large-scale delivery.”
Dangiwa stated that housing shortages now sit at the centre of economic growth constraints, social stability risks, and urban resilience challenges across the continent. He added that Nigeria mirrors the broader African deficit, with a conservatively estimated housing shortfall of more than 17 million units.
The Federal Government is responding by shifting from fragmented projects to a structured national housing delivery programme under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. More than 10,000 housing units have been commenced across 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory in the last two years, alongside urban renewal and slum upgrade projects impacting more than 150 communities nationwide.”
However, he stressed that no single country can close the deficit alone. With this, he called for stronger continental cooperation, increased private sector participation, and scalable financing models.
The conversations and speeches at the Africa Housing Awards mostly revolved around the issue of housing deficit. Also, about 52 individuals and institutions were recognised for interventions aimed at narrowing supply gaps.
The convener of the awards, Festus Adebayo, said that the housing and construction sector remains a major driver of jobs and economic growth but is under pressure from rising demand, regulatory gaps, and global economic headwinds.
“These pressures informed the creation of the awards platform to promote accountability and best practice across the sector,” he said. “The Housing Development Advocacy Network is enforcing a zero-tolerance stance against unethical practices, warning that the group would expose fraud and sharp practices in the sector, including by award recipients, to protect homebuyers and investors.”
Adebayo also expressed that stakeholders are working with the National Assembly, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, the Federal Ministry of Housing, Lagos State, and other regulators to strengthen housing regulations in line with international best practice.
With this in place, Nigeria will be on its way to reducing the housing deficit, which is a major setback to the continent’s housing situation.
