Structural Deficiencies Affect Over 15 Million Homes, Federal Government Warns

FG Flags 15.2 Million Structurally Inadequate Homes, Signals Shift to Housing Upgrades

Nigeria’s housing challenge has taken on a sharper qualitative dimension, with the Federal Government revealing that an estimated 15.2 million existing housing units nationwide fail to meet basic standards of safety, durability, and habitability, according to a new assessment by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

The disclosure, made on December 16, 2025, underscores that the country’s housing problem is not limited to insufficient supply alone but also reflects deep structural weaknesses in homes already in use, with implications for public health, urban resilience, and long-term economic productivity.

According to Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, the findings emerged from the National Housing Data Initiative, a multi-agency effort designed to establish a unified and credible baseline for housing policy in Nigeria.

The assessment applied internationally recognised measurement tools, including the Household Crowding Index, the Adequate Housing Index, and a Composite Housing Index, drawing on datasets from the National Population Commission (NPC), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and other sector institutions. The methodology aligns with World Bank housing and urban development standards, according to the Ministry.

Dangiwa noted that the results provide a clearer picture of housing conditions than headline deficit figures alone, allowing policymakers to distinguish between homes that are absent and those that exist but remain unfit for purpose.

Beyond Numbers: Why Inadequate Housing Matters

The Ministry defines structurally inadequate housing as dwellings that, while physically present, lack essential features required for safe and dignified living, including sound construction, adequate space, access to basic services, and resilience to environmental risks.

According to the Minister, this form of inadequacy reflects a broader set of systemic challenges, including weak urban infrastructure, affordability constraints, limited access to housing finance, land administration bottlenecks, and uneven regional development.

He stressed that addressing the issue will require a policy shift away from an exclusive focus on new construction towards rehabilitation, neighbourhood renewal, and service upgrades, particularly in older and fast-growing urban areas.

Regional Disparities Highlight Uneven Urban Outcomes

Data from the Adequate Housing Index reveal significant geographic variation. Kano State recorded the highest concentration of inadequate housing units, while Bayelsa State reported the lowest, pointing to differing pressures related to population density, urbanisation patterns, and infrastructure provision.

These disparities, analysts note, reinforce the need for state-specific housing interventions rather than a one-size-fits-all national response.

National Housing Data Centre to Drive Policy and Investment

To institutionalise evidence-based decision-making, the Ministry has commenced steps to establish a National Housing Data Centre, which is expected to become operational by mid-January 2026.

The Centre is designed to serve as a central repository for housing data, supporting policy formulation, private sector investment decisions, access to housing finance, and large-scale delivery planning. Officials say the initiative should improve planning accuracy, market transparency, and investor confidence, particularly in public-private partnership models.

The full report of the National Housing Data Technical Committee is scheduled for release to relevant agencies and stakeholders.

Renewed Hope Programme: Progress and Constraints

The housing data release comes amid ongoing federal interventions under the Renewed Hope Estates and Cities programme, a flagship initiative of the current administration.

Under the programme:

• Renewed Hope Cities involve large-scale developments across each geopolitical zone and the Federal Capital Territory, delivered through public-private partnerships (PPPs). Private developers provide financing and infrastructure, often through commercial loans, resulting in higher unit prices, with one-bedroom apartments selling at approximately ₦22 million.

• Renewed Hope Estates consist of smaller clusters of about 250 housing units, funded directly by the Federal Government. With land provided free by state governments and infrastructure costs subsidised, these units are priced more affordably, typically between ₦8 million and ₦9 million for a one-bedroom apartment.

While these programmes aim to expand supply, the Minister acknowledged that Nigeria’s housing deficit remains severe, estimating that the country must deliver 550,000 new housing units annually over the next decade. Meeting this demand would require investment of approximately ₦5.5 trillion, highlighting the scale of the challenge.

Outlook: From Quantity to Quality

Housing experts say the government’s emphasis on data-driven analysis marks an important step towards reframing Nigeria’s housing discourse. However, they caution that closing the adequacy gap will depend on sustained funding, regulatory coordination, and effective implementation at state and local levels.

For investors and policymakers, the new data signal both risk and opportunity: while structural inadequacy exposes long-standing weaknesses in Nigeria’s housing stock, it also opens pathways for urban renewal, retrofit financing, infrastructure-led regeneration, and targeted housing finance solutions.

As Nigeria continues to urbanise rapidly, the quality of its existing homes may prove just as critical to economic and social stability as the number of new units built.