APPRAISAL OF MODERN STRATEGIES FOR HOUSING DELIVERY IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONEINTRODUCTION1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDYHousing shortage is one of the most serious developmental challenges presently confronting Nigeria. Stakeholders and industry operatives in building technology are unanimous in their opinion that the process of housing delivery in Nigeria needs a change of strategy. In this study, the researcher isexamining modern ways that could be explored to meet the nation’s housing deficit which stands around 17million units (Akeju, 2012).Although Nigeria with a population of over 160 million people has been identified as the largest market in Africa for everything, including real estate, growing demand for decent shelter has continued to meet leaner supply of housing units.Over the years, successive governments in the country had tinkered withpolicies in a bid to achieve its mass housing objective but due to lack of reasonable commitment to it, achieving the goal has remained elusive (FRN, 2007).Experts who gave analytical insight into the problem of housing delivery in Nigeria called for a declaration of a state of emergency in the housing sector,saying innovative thinking and modern strategies could bring about better outcomes that will enhance housing delivery process in the country. It is a knownfact that financing of housing projects remained one of the biggest problems in the sector that is militating against housing delivery. Akeju (2012) is of the opinion that the major issue in housing delivery is funding, getting appropriate funding. There is money flowing everywhere but the right type of moneyneeded for long term project like housing is not available. Something that can really work for aordablehousing can be akin to what the Federal Mortgage Bank offers which cannot go round.Modern strategy in housing delivery in Nigeria will reiterates the government’s priority to tackle overcrowding and the ambitious target to reduce severe overcrowding in rented housing apartments (Bush, 2004). Alongside making funding available for larger homes, with at least higher number of bedrooms, and a long-term commitment to deliver the family sized affordable homes should be identified in a strategic plan for housing delivery (Easton, 2006).There are many strategies needed to facilitate massive housing delivery in Nigeria but modern and technologically-inspired large scale housing schemes –schemes and sites with thousands of housing units could play a significant role in the delivery of the large number of houses the Nigerians needs. The experience of the last 20 years suggests that the level of demand for new homes over the next decade will not be met by piecemeal incrementaldevelopments.

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