HDAN Urges APC to Prioritise Affordable Housing Over Distribution of Phones and Laptops
Housing Should Replace Handouts as APC's Key Empowerment Strategy, Says HDAN
The Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to make affordable housing a central pillar of its empowerment strategy, arguing that expanding access to homeownership would deliver more lasting economic and social benefits than distributing phones, laptops and other consumer items.
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In a statement issued by its Executive Director, Festus Adebayo, HDAN said that while digital devices remain useful for education, communication and business, affordable housing represents a more transformative investment that creates wealth, promotes social security and stimulates economic growth.
Housing as Sustainable Empowerment
According to HDAN, homeownership is one of the most effective forms of empowerment because it provides families with long-term financial security while creating assets that can be transferred across generations.
The organisation maintained that unlike consumable items, housing has a lasting economic impact by helping families build equity, improving living standards and reducing vulnerability to poverty. It argued that increasing access to affordable homes should form part of any meaningful national development strategy.
Economic Benefits Extend Beyond Homeownership
HDAN noted that investment in affordable housing has a multiplier effect on the wider economy. Every housing project generates employment across construction, manufacturing, building materials, logistics, finance and professional services, while also stimulating demand throughout the real estate value chain.
The group said prioritising housing would therefore not only improve living conditions but also support economic growth and job creation, particularly as Nigeria continues to face a significant housing deficit.
Implications for the Housing Sector
For the housing industry, HDAN's recommendation reinforces growing calls for political parties and governments to place housing at the centre of economic policy rather than treating it solely as a social welfare issue.
Industry stakeholders have consistently argued that expanding affordable housing requires stronger mortgage systems, improved land administration, greater private sector participation and sustained public investment in infrastructure that supports residential development.
Why It Matters
Nigeria's housing deficit continues to constrain economic development, with millions of households unable to access decent and affordable accommodation. Positioning housing as a national empowerment priority could accelerate homeownership, deepen investment in real estate and support broader economic growth through increased construction activity and employment.
Outlook
While HDAN's proposal is an advocacy position rather than government policy, it adds to ongoing discussions about how political parties can design more sustainable empowerment programmes. If future policy initiatives place greater emphasis on affordable housing, they could contribute to reducing the housing deficit, strengthening household wealth and stimulating long-term economic development.
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