The Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development said it has developed a framework for conducting a national housing survey with the overriding goal of establishing whether Nigerians are adequately housed.
The Minister, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi, at an interactive session with the press last week in Abuja said the survey will help establish the actual housing deficit in the country instead of relying on forecasts and the quantum of the investment needed to meaningfully address the housing gap as well as the capacity requirements for transforming the housing and urban development sector on a sustainable basis. Mrs. Eyakenyi said that the Ministerial Committee under her Chairmanship was working with relevant stakeholders such as the National Population Commission (NPC), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), National Planning Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the project.
According to her, the task was to develop a project document for undertaking the survey which will be carried out nationwide in collaboration with relevant internal and external stakeholders adding that in the short term, a pilot study will be carried out in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) representing the best housing case scenario and one other state that will symbolise the worst housing case scenario to determine the magnitude of housing deficit in Nigeria.
“From the trend we have seen so far, the problem of affordability is a key issue in housing deficit. I wish to stress that this is the first time in a very long while that the housing survey is being undertaken in the country specifically to address the concerns of the housing and urban development sector,” she said.
The Minister explained that a revised national building code was being finalised as one of the enabling instruments for ensuring quality and enhancing standards in the housing and urban development sector.
She stated,” The FMLHUD will collaborate with all relevant stakeholders to ensure strict enforcement of the provisions of the code after its approval by government. “We are regulating the practice of real estate in Nigeria to check unwholesome practices and rapid deterioration of estates across the country.”
Apparently concerned that the cost of building materials has been the bane of netting decent and affordable housing for Nigerians, Mrs. Eyakenyi said the Ministry was entering into negotiation with manufacturers for a reduction in prices of building materials.
On the issue of the 10,000 housing units, she said that while the Federal Ministry of Finance through the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), is handling the demand side of the provision of 10,0000 mortgages for new home owners, the Federal Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development is facilitating action on the delivery of 10,000 housing units that the mortgage facility of the NMRC would support. “I wish to assure Nigerians that we recognise the need to ensure good standards and timely delivery,” she said.

17m housing deficit: FG to conduct national housing survey