Mr. Olufemi Oyedele, is a built environment professional and affordable housing advocate. In this interview with DAYO AYEYEMI, the astute estate surveyor and valuer, took a critical look at the Nigeria ‘s housing sector since independence, itemized some of the challenges, and suggested way out of the wood.
What is your assessment as Nigeria clocks 65 years of nationhood?
Yes, Nigeria’s 65th Independent Anniversary is here again and in a twinkle of an eye, the 66th anniversary will be here.
The housing sector in my own assessment has performed abysmally low in the last 65 years. Though we have adequate resources to achieve ‘adequate housing’, we lack ‘the will’ and the institutional and organisational capacity to be self-sufficient in housing. The government has refused to adequately organise the people to be able to house themselves and adequate housing remains a mirage despite our 65 years of independence. In many quarters, the question arose that would it not have been a better story in our housing strides if the colonial masters were still in charge? There are a lot of things we can do better to change our housing narratives. The housing sector is still unorganised, underfunded, corruption-ladden, unprofessional, under-productive and lacking direction.
Nigerians have not been properly housed. About 60 per cent of Nigerians live in slums! These are self-help abode that people manage to remain hopeful. They manage this squalid settlements and inadequate quality houses with the hope that tomorrow will be better. Some of them have lost hope in a better future due to their past experiences despite the fact that the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Chapter 4 claims that housing is a right of all citizens.
What are major achievements?
The major achievements in the housing sector and notable challenges in recent time are the Renewed Hope Housing Programme which ‘aim is to address the nation’s housing deficit by providing affordable, decent and dignified accommodation for citizens, particularly low-income and vulnerable groups.’ If the government can achieve this aim, it will go a long way to ameliorate the housing sufferings of the people. The building materials hubs planned to be located in the six geographical zones of Nigeria and in which one is already set for the Lekki Free Trade Zone is also laudable achievement.
What are the challenges?
Notable challenges in our housing sector include the incessant building collapses which seems to be reducing the housing stock and the credibility of our builders; the demolition of buildings which is an economic waste among a people that is lacking; high cost of building materials, which is majorly due to over-dependence on the traditional method of construction and low level of titling which creates dead capital in the untitled lands.
The government of the day is not living up to expectations in the housing sector considering the huge housing deficit which experts claim is now in the region of 28 million. There are things the government (federal, state and local) can do separately to achieve housing adequacy.
What are the solutions?
The solutions to the challenges in the housing sector include first, evolving a housing culture for Nigeria though a formal forum. Housing cannot continue to be delivered haphazardly as it is currently being done. Secondly, we need an organ of the Federal Government that will be in charge of coordinating the housing efforts of the three tiers of government in Nigeria. There is a wide disparity between the prices of building materials and what the customers are willing to pay. Thirdly, there must be intensified efforts of governments to provide social housing for the poor and vulnerable in the society. This class of people cannot adequately house themselves.