Housing Sector Leaders Push Zero-Tolerance Framework as Africa’s Housing Deficit Deepens

Africa’s Housing Deficit Deepens as Sector Leaders Push Anti-Fraud Reforms

Stakeholders in Africa’s housing and construction industry are calling for stricter regulation, professional accountability, and cross-government collaboration as the continent grapples with a widening housing deficit and growing exposure to fraud within the sector.

Speaking at the seventh Africa Housing Awards in Abuja, housing sector leaders emphasised that safeguarding professionalism and strengthening regulatory oversight have become critical to sustaining housing delivery, investment confidence, and long-term urban development across Africa.

Africa’s Housing Deficit Poses Systemic Risk

At the event, Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, highlighted the scale of Africa’s housing challenge. He said the continent currently faces a housing shortfall of no fewer than 50 million units, with a housing finance gap estimated at approximately $1.4 trillion, according to sector assessments.

The minister warned that without accelerated and coordinated solutions, Africa’s housing deficit could expand to about 130 million units by 2030, driven by population growth, rapid urbanisation, and limited access to long-term housing finance.

He added that more than 54 million Africans currently live in urban slums, underscoring the social and economic consequences of prolonged underinvestment in housing supply and infrastructure.

Nigeria’s Response: From Fragmentation to Structured Delivery

Focusing on Nigeria, Dangiwa said the country’s housing deficit is conservatively estimated at over 17 million units. He noted that the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, has shifted from fragmented housing interventions to a structured national delivery framework focused on scale, systems, and measurable outcomes.

According to the minister, the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has commenced over 10,000 housing units across 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory within the last two years. He added that urban renewal and slum upgrade programmes have delivered infrastructure improvements to more than 150 communities nationwide.

Dangiwa emphasised that housing should no longer be treated as a peripheral policy issue, describing it as central to economic growth, social stability, urban resilience, and human dignity.

Recognition of Policy Leadership and Regional Collaboration

The Africa Housing Awards recognised 52 individuals, organisations, and public institutions across three categories. Honourees included the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, who received Housing and Infrastructure-Friendly Governor of the Year for policies supporting mass housing delivery and urban renewal.

Dangiwa was named Africa’s Most Transformational Minister of Housing and Urban Development 2025 in recognition of reforms aimed at affordability, the use of local building materials, and expanded private sector participation.

Namibia’s Minister of Urban and Rural Development, James Sankwasa, who received Minister for Housing of the Year 2025, said Africa must take ownership of its development narrative by acknowledging and scaling home-grown policy successes.

Media, Advocacy, and Inclusive Housing Outcomes

Chairperson of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Grace Ike, called for stronger collaboration between media professionals and housing stakeholders to improve access to decent housing for journalists. She commended the Africa Housing Awards platform for sustaining advocacy and elevating public discourse around affordable housing.

Ike appealed to the Federal Government to deliver on the proposed Journalists’ Village in the FCT, urging that the project be completed by 2026 with support from the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria. She said stable housing remains critical to ethical journalism, professional independence, and peace-building.

Outlook: Governance as the Sector’s Defining Test

As Africa’s housing deficit deepens, stakeholders at the awards stressed that delivery alone will not be sufficient. Long-term success, they argued, will depend on governance discipline, regulatory clarity, and sustained collaboration between public and private actors.

For investors and policymakers, the message from Abuja was clear: housing remains one of Africa’s most consequential development sectors, but credibility, professionalism, and accountability will determine its capacity to attract capital and deliver inclusive growth.