Stakeholders in Nigeria’s housing sector have called for urgent reforms in land administration, housing finance and government policies to curb land grabbing and make affordable housing a reality for millions of Nigerians.
The experts, who spoke during a housing engagement yesterday in Abuja, said transparent land administration, reduced building material costs, long-term financing and stronger public-private partnerships were essential to addressing the country’s estimated 14 million housing deficit.
Permanent Secretary, Enugu State Liaison Office, Mr. Chukwuka Ugwu, said proper land documentation remains the most effective way to eliminate land grabbing.
According to him, disputes over land ownership would reduce significantly if every plot of land was properly documented and ownership records are easily verifiable.
Ugwu noted that affordable housing would remain difficult to achieve unless government intervenes to reduce the soaring cost of construction materials.
He urged government to introduce policies that subsidise cement, iron rods, timber and other building materials or create an enabling environment that encourages local production and makes them more affordable.
“You cannot expect developers to build affordable houses when the prices of building materials keep increasing. Once these materials become cheaper, more Nigerians will be able to own homes,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer of Tout Mou Affordable Housing, Arc. Maryam Barkindo, said her company’s experience demonstrates that the legal system can effectively protect genuine investors when properly implemented.
She explained that although the company’s affordable housing project, officially launched in May 2026, had been in development for about three years, illegal occupation of its project site by land grabbers delayed implementation.
Barkindo said the company spent about six months recovering the land despite having legally acquired it, adding that the intervention of the state government through due legal process eventually led to the successful recovery of the property.
She disclosed that the project site has now been secured and construction officially commenced following a groundbreaking ceremony with the Enugu State Government.
According to her, existing legal frameworks were adequate but require stronger enforcement to prevent land grabbing and protect investments.
She advised investors facing similar challenges to remain patient and continue pursuing legal channels, stressing that persistence and adherence to due process would ultimately yield results.
Barkindo also praised the Enugu State Government’s commitment to development, saying its vision for modern infrastructure and innovation aligns with the company’s objective of delivering sustainable housing.
On housing affordability, she maintained that government must reduce the cost of building materials through subsidies and policies that promote local manufacturing.
She further advocated a transparent land administration system with accurate records of land allocation and ownership to prevent multiple allocations, reduce disputes and restore investors’ confidence.
Managing Director of New Frontier Development, Hassan Usman, said attracting long-term funding into the housing sector was critical to solving Nigeria’s housing shortage.
He noted that creating stronger links between the capital market and the housing sector would significantly increase investment and accelerate housing development across the country.
Usman also called for reforms in land titling and the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy, saying the current process was often slow, cumbersome and expensive.
He added that delays in approving building plans increase development costs, which were ultimately passed on to home buyers.
According to him, government also has a responsibility to improve the macroeconomic environment by reducing inflation and interest rates, thereby making housing finance more accessible.
On tackling land grabbing, Usman advocated comprehensive cadastral mapping and a fully digitised land registry that accurately identifies land ownership and property boundaries.
Such a system, he said, would improve transparency, reduce fraud and inspire greater confidence among investors and home buyers.
He described housing as a major driver of economic growth because of its strong linkages with construction, manufacturing, logistics and other sectors of the economy.
Also speaking, Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Board Member of IEEE MGA and Director of Projects and Networks at Phase3 Telecom, Engr. Abdullateef Aliyu, said Nigeria can overcome its housing challenges by adopting successful models from other countries while adapting them to local realities.
Aliyu stressed that stronger collaboration between government and the private sector was essential to reducing the housing crisis.
He said Nigeria possesses the resources and capacity needed to transform the sector, adding that focused implementation, innovation and effective public-private partnerships would accelerate progress.
He expressed optimism that with sustained commitment and reforms, the country’s housing sector would witness significant growth and contribute meaningfully to national development by 2030.
