The Federal Government and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, have called for innovative approaches to address Nigeria’s housing deficit through affordable, inclusive and sustainable communities.
The call was made at the 2026 World Habitat Day celebration held at ABU, Zaria, under the theme “Adequate Housing for All.”
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Motoka Daruma, said the government was committed to expanding access to adequate housing and developing inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities.
Daruma, represented by Mr Danbaba Yahaya, said adequate housing went beyond providing shelter, stressing that it must guarantee security, dignity, affordability, infrastructure and access to essential services.
He said rapid urbanisation, housing shortages, rising construction costs and infrastructure deficits required coordinated interventions to address the country’s growing housing needs.
According to him, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is implementing its Renewed Hope Agenda through initiatives such as Renewed Hope Cities, Renewed Hope Estates and social housing programmes.
The minister said the initiatives were designed to increase housing supply, complete ongoing projects, provide supporting infrastructure and social amenities, and improve access to mortgage finance for prospective homeowners.
Daruma said the government was also exploring innovative financing mechanisms to enable more Nigerians, including those in the informal sector and the diaspora, to access decent and affordable housing.
He said reforms in land titling, registration, documentation and digitalisation were being pursued to strengthen security of tenure, attract investment and improve land administration.
The minister added that the government was promoting local production of building materials across the six geopolitical zones to reduce construction costs, create jobs and strengthen domestic manufacturing.
Daruma said the interventions were guided by the National Urban Development Policy 2025, aimed at promoting inclusive, resilient, productive and sustainable cities across Nigeria.
In his welcome address, the ABU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Bello Sabo, pledged the university’s research and professional expertise to addressing the nation’s housing challenges.
Ahmed said ABU would focus on developing and commercialising locally sourced, climate-resilient building materials, generating spatial data for urban planning and land administration, and training professionals for emerging challenges.
He said the university would position itself as an active catalyst for solving Nigeria’s housing crisis rather than treating it merely as an academic subject.
The vice-chancellor urged private developers, manufacturers and financial institutions to partner with university laboratories to test, standardise and scale affordable and environmentally friendly building technologies suited to Nigeria’s climate and soil conditions.
Former ABU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Shehu-Usman Abdullahi, represented by the former Vice-Chancellor of IBB University, Prof. A.K. Adamu, urged stakeholders to shift attention from constructing houses to developing sustainable communities.
Abdullahi said adequate housing must be complemented by security of tenure, infrastructure, transportation, healthcare, education, employment opportunities, public spaces and a healthy environment.
He said rapid urbanisation and population growth had heightened challenges related to housing affordability, land administration, infrastructure, transportation, environmental sustainability and urban governance.
The former vice-chancellor called for inclusive housing policies and innovative financing mechanisms that would address the needs of low-income households, students, young families, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
Abdullahi urged stakeholders to move beyond speeches and develop practical solutions capable of improving the quality of Nigeria’s settlements and making communities safer, more inclusive and resilient.
The speakers agreed that tackling the housing deficit required sustained collaboration among government, academia, the private sector, professional bodies, communities and development partners.
They stressed that the quality of Nigeria’s housing and urban settlements would significantly influence social stability, economic resilience and the overall quality of life of citizens.
