Effective affordable housing strategies for the urban poor in Nigeria

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Providing affordable housing (AH) in a suitable manner has continued to be a global challenge despite various research attempts and policy interventions, suggesting a need for innovativeness in affordable housing provision. Review of literature exposes a mismatch between AH demand and what is supplied. A pragmatic approach to AH provision warrants an investigation of the urban poor, being targets of AH interventions. To achieve this, this study examined the urban poor to diligently explore their informal housing strategies. 40 randomly selected respondents were interviewed from the 5 strata of largest slums in Lagos, Nigeria. Following a descriptive, content and thematic analyses of data, findings are that there are concealed and untapped resources within the housing strategies of the urban poor that may inform suitable affordable housing provision approaches. Findings are that suitable rent for housing the urban poor should not exceed $9 per month, rental housing is more suitable for the urban poor than homeownership, incremental housing, use of cheaper construction materials, adopting alternative housing approaches such as shared housing, convertible homes and hostels are suitable housing construction strategies. Suitable housing financing strategies will be modifying their existent housing finance means among other essential findings. This study provides insights into informally devised housing strategies of settlers in the slums of Lagos. Data from this study may benefit policymakers and are useful for future studies on pro-poor housing provision. Study recommended that the informal strategies of the urban poor can be improved, institutionalized and incorporated into housing policies to achieve effective and sustainable affordable housing provision for the urban poor in developing economies.