NIGERIA HOUSING CRISIS MAY WORSEN AFTER CONFLICTING FIGURES

Nigeria unable to meet targets set for housing sector after conflicting figures.

According to UN report, Nigeria is expected to overtake the United States to become the third most populous country in the world by 2050 because the cities in the country is becoming a new home to rural migrants every day.

The revised National Housing Policy shows that the cumulative effect of the inability to meet the targets set for the housing provision over the years is the gross housing deficit in the country which has resulted in a 17m estimated housing deficit in the country.

President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Mrs. Mercy Torkwase Iyortyer; ”The main challenge is addressing the situation as it is because there is no reliable data for the correct figure.”

National President of Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Mr. Luka Bunus Achi expressed regrets on lack of concerned parties’ ability to produce a standardized figure that could stand for review overtime and that the people’s tendency to move from unaffordable areas to remote areas with affordable rent but poor amenities further worsens the problems of housing in Nigeria.

President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Kenneth Nnabuife Nduka has faulted unverified nation statistics for the false figures and said the solution is simply channeling the funds to addressing the issue of mass housing.