Housing policy debacle in Sub-Saharan Africa: an appraisal of three housing programs in Lagos Nigeria

Abstract

Urban scholars have continued to look at public housing failure in developing economies as resulting from grossly inefficient housing policies against the backdrop of citizens’ expectations. While most of the housing programs have seemed to be foundering in Nigeria, no serious attempt has been made to analyze the population’s sensitivity to the efficacy of these programs. This study therefore investigates the perception of three housing programs, namely: Low Cost Housing (LCH); Site and Services (SAS); and Aided Self-help (ASH) schemes in Lagos. Data were obtained from both secondary and primary sources. Findings indicate that even though the three housing programs have not performed absolutely well there is a significant difference among the programs as LCH’s performance is significantly different from both SAS and ASH programs. Four factors namely: cost affordability; policy objective implementation; mortgage finance; and government community conflicts were identified as the basis of the public housing program failure in Lagos. The stakeholders are therefore advised to improve on the performance of the housing programs through liberal mortgage system, greater local government participation, liberation of inner-city trapped land, and involvement of public-private partnership in housing provision.