Nigeria’s former military ruler, Yakubu Gowon, has urged African leaders to prioritise affordable housing as a key component of their sustainable development agendas.
Mr Gowon, a retired general, represented by Suleiman Bogoro, a professor and former Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), made the call at the opening of the 19th Africa International Housing Show (AIHS) on Tuesday in Abuja.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event, themed “Re-imagining Housing Through Innovation, Collaboration, and Policy”, was convened by Festus Adebayo, CEO of AIHS.
Mr Gowon, who led Nigeria for about nine years and through the 30-month Nigerian Civil War from July 1967 to January 1970, noted that inadequate housing remained one of the most critical issues facing the continent, stressing that affordable housing directly influenced public health, education, and economic productivity.
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He said it was imperative for leaders to promote sustainable urban development and inclusive policies.
He was quoted as saying that African governments must collaborate to ensure housing policies were not only effective but also equitable and inclusive.
He added that innovation, investment, and implementation were key to meeting the needs of Africa’s rapidly growing population.
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Former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Jerry Gana, a professor, emphasised Mr Gowon’s concerns, saying Nigeria was still grappling with how to make housing finance affordable for its citizens.
‘How to make housing more affordable’
He stated that high construction costs, exacerbated by reliance on imported building materials, made home ownership unattainable for many workers.
Mr Gana called on stakeholders to focus on local production of building materials, which he said would significantly lower construction costs.
He added that a vibrant housing sector could generate significant employment opportunities, but warned that such outcomes would only be possible through adequate funding of the sector.
‘Treating housing as human right’
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, also addressed the gathering, reaffirming the federal government’s commitment to ensuring that access to decent housing was treated as a fundamental human right, not a privilege.
Mr Dangiwa said that while housing availability was important, access and affordability remained the core challenges across Africa.
He noted that incomes were too low to support housing costs, even where homes were available.
He said the Tinubu administration was working to stabilise the economy, strengthen the naira, increase real incomes, and reduce inflation, all of which were essential to making housing both affordable and sustainable.
Dangiwa highlighted ongoing federal housing initiatives, including the Renewed Hope Cities in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Maiduguri, Kaduna, and Nasarawa; the Renewed Hope Estates in 30 states; and the Renewed Hope Social Housing programme.
Call to action to address housing shortfall
The chairperson of the AIHS Advisory Board, Suleiman Zarma, expressed concern over the scale of Africa’s housing deficit, stating that Sub-Saharan Africa alone faced a shortfall of more than 50 million housing units.
Mr Zarma described the challenge as a massive economic opportunity, capable of driving job creation, innovation, and development across the continent.
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He said the AIHS was more than just a conference, but also a call to action for all stakeholders, from policymakers and developers to financiers and innovators, to work together toward practical, sustainable housing solutions.
“Our vision is clear: to transform Africa’s housing landscape through innovation, collaboration, and sustainable practices,” he said.
(NAN)
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