Investigations conducted by Daily Trust on Sunday have unveiled a disheartening reality: many of the federal housing estates, initiated during the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari to alleviate Nigeria’s housing deficit, stand abandoned and deteriorating across various states. This comes alongside grievances from numerous civil servants who find the costs of these houses beyond their means.
Despite successive governments’ pledges to provide affordable housing for low-income earners, Nigeria’s housing deficit has continued to escalate over the years. The Buhari administration, in response, established the National Housing Programme (NHP) to address this pressing issue, with contracts awarded in 2016 for the construction of housing units across the nation.
Out of the planned 6,022 housing units spread across 46 sites in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), only a fraction have been completed, leaving many in various stages of abandonment.
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The cost of these houses, fixed since the previous administration, remains exorbitant for the intended beneficiaries, leading to low occupancy rates and decay of infrastructure in several estates. In states like Kwara, Niger, and Kogi, completed houses lie empty as their prices soar beyond what civil servants and low-income earners can afford.
In Plateau, completed projects remain unoccupied and are gradually deteriorating, reflecting a nationwide trend of neglect and underutilization of resources meant to address the housing crisis.
Similar scenarios unfold in states like Kebbi, Jigawa, Yobe, and Bauchi, where completed housing units either remain unallocated or suffer damage due to lack of occupancy.
While efforts to address the situation are ongoing, with promises of cost subsidies and enhanced mortgage options, the plight of ordinary Nigerians in need of affordable housing remains a pressing concern. The government’s commitment to resolving these challenges and ensuring the fulfillment of its housing objectives is crucial for alleviating the housing crisis gripping the nation.
