Africa’s Housing Crisis Takes Centre Stage at 7th Africa Housing Awards in Abuja
Africa’s widening housing deficit continues to rank among the continent’s most urgent development challenges, fuelled by rapid population growth, accelerating urbanisation, and escalating construction costs. These pressures were brought sharply into focus in Abuja as housing ministers, policymakers, and industry leaders convened for the 7th Africa Housing Awards to examine solutions and chart a sustainable path forward.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Namibia’s Minister of Housing, Sankwasa James Sankwasam, reaffirmed his government’s commitment to placing housing at the heart of national development policy. He revealed that Namibia’s leadership has issued a clear construction mandate for the current financial year, signalling renewed urgency in addressing the country’s housing needs.
While acknowledging the severity of housing shortages across African cities, Minister Sankwasam challenged the perception that the crisis is uniquely African. Drawing from his personal experiences living in the United Kingdom, he noted that homelessness and housing pressure are visible even in some of the world’s most developed economies. “I lived in London, I lived in Leeds in the UK, where people sleep under bridges,” he said, stressing that global population growth is consistently outpacing housing supply.
However, he emphasised that Africa’s solutions must be rooted in local realities. In particular, he highlighted the need to balance urban expansion with rural development. As increasing numbers of people migrate to cities in search of employment, Sankwasam argued that governments must strengthen rural infrastructure to slow displacement and reduce pressure on urban housing markets.
To this end, Namibia is expanding access to housing finance for rural-based workers such as teachers and nurses, while simultaneously investing in critical infrastructure including roads, water systems, and electricity. These measures, he explained, are designed to make rural and peri-urban living more viable and attractive.
Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, used the platform to address what he described as long-standing misconceptions surrounding Nigeria’s housing deficit. He disputed widely cited claims that the country faces a shortfall of nearly 30 million housing units, stating that such figures lack credible, substantiated data. “That is wrong, and there is no substantiated data on that,” Dangiwa said.
He disclosed that a government-appointed committee is in the final stages of producing a more accurate estimate, which is expected to place Nigeria’s housing deficit between 15 and 16 million units. According to the minister, the findings, based on population data and other key parameters, will be released early in the new year, a move he believes will significantly improve planning, policymaking, and investor confidence.
On the issue of affordability, Dangiwa highlighted public-private partnerships and land reforms as critical tools for reducing housing costs, particularly in Abuja and its surrounding area councils. By removing land costs and lowering financing expenses, he said, housing can become more accessible to civil servants and low-income earners who are currently priced out of the market.
The Africa Housing Awards, convened by Barrister Festus Adebayo, attracted delegations from across the continent, including Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Namibia. The gathering underscored the role of housing not only as a basic human need, but also as a powerful driver of job creation, economic growth, and social stability.
As African governments face mounting pressure to close the housing gap, discussions in Abuja reinforced a shared conviction: while housing shortages are a global challenge, Africa must develop homegrown, data-driven, and inclusive solutions that reflect its unique demographic, economic, and social realities.
