By Samson Ademola
Journalists, researchers and housing advocates have called for inclusive housing policies to address widening spatial inequality in Lagos. The stakeholders emphasised that housing policies must prioritise low-income residents to reduce inequality and promote more inclusive urban development.
The call was made during a film screening and conversation held on Thursday at the Arthur Mbanefo Digital Research Centre, University of Lagos.
The event, convened by Heinrich Böll Stiftung in collaboration with Rethinking Cities, the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development (CHSD) of the University of Lagos, and the African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC), was themed: “Solidarity and movement building strategies to advocate for housing affordable to the urban poor.”
Lagos housing deficit and rising costs
The Director of CHSD at the University of Lagos, Timothy Nubi, a professor, said Nigeria currently faces a housing deficit estimated between 17 million and 22 million units.
He noted that rising housing costs have made accommodation increasingly unaffordable for both low-income and middle-income earners.
Using a personal experience, Mr Nubi said even professors now struggle to afford decent housing in the city.
“We rented a two-bedroom apartment for ₦3.5 million in Akoka. At that point, I realised there is little hope for the poor, and even for professors. How many professors can afford ₦3.5 million rent? This is the same Lagos where space under a bridge costs ₦180,000,” he said.
He added that the situation also affects workers within the university system, noting that some lecturers at the University of Lagos resort to staying in their offices because of accommodation challenges.
Mr Nubi warned that persistent housing inequality could have wider social consequences if the needs of low-income residents remain unaddressed.
The housing challenge in Lagos reflects a broader national crisis. In January 2025, Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, said Nigeria faces a housing deficit of more than 20 million units, adding that the country would need to build about 500,000 housing units annually over the next decade to bridge the gap and meet the needs of its rapidly growing population.
Policy options for inclusive housing
According to Mr Nubi, governments can adopt inclusionary housing policies that require private developers to allocate a portion of new housing units to low-income households.
“The way forward is for the government to mandate private developers to set aside a percentage of houses, for example, 20 per cent, for the poor,” he said.
He also referenced historical examples from the United Kingdom, noting that if the poor are not taken care of, they can set the city ablaze.
“The poor almost burnt the entire London. This led to the Poor Relief Act of 1601, which evolved into the Land Tenement Rate, that the have’s should contribute to the Poor Relief Fund to take care of the poor.”
Mr Nubi further explained that Nigeria’s Land Use Act of 1978 changed land ownership by placing land under the control of state authorities. He added that the law was incorporated into the Nigerian Constitution, making amendments more difficult.
Lessons from documentary
The conversation followed the screening of ‘Mother City’, a documentary set in Cape Town, South Africa, which shows struggles over housing, land rights and urban inequality. The film highlights activism around the proposed sale of the Tafelberg property in Cape Town and broader debates on access to affordable housing in urban areas.
The Country Director of Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Abuja, Sophie von Knebel, said the event was organised to reflect on lessons Lagos could learn from the experiences presented in the documentary.
Sharing insights from the South African context, the Head of Political Organising at Ndifuna Ukwazi, Buhle Booi, emphasised the responsibility of journalists and researchers to use their knowledge to advance social justice.
“Education should not only be about upward social mobility. It should also help us fight for justice,” he said.
Legal protections against eviction
Mr Booi also highlighted South Africa’s Prevention of Illegal Eviction (PIE) Act, which provides legal safeguards for residents facing eviction.
According to him, the law requires the government to provide alternative accommodation for people displaced through eviction.
“Eviction should not result in homelessness. There must be transitional housing policies for people who are evicted,” he said.
He added that when governments allocate land to private developers, provisions should also be made for social and affordable housing to support inclusive urban development.
Governance and legal challenges in Nigeria
During the discussion, a participant, Opeyemi Adeyanju, raised concerns about weak enforcement of court rulings in Nigeria on housing and land matters. He noted that while a court ruling in South Africa halted the sale of the Tafelberg property, similar legal interventions in Nigeria often face implementation challenges.
According to him, multiple court injunctions exist regarding land disputes in Oworonshoki, Lagos, with some rulings reportedly contradicting earlier ones.
Informal settlements and urban exclusion
Speaking on the broader urban housing landscape, the Lagos City Manager for ACRC, Temilade Sesan, said Lagos was not always characterised by severe housing shortages.
She explained that affordable housing options existed in the city until the mid-1980s.
Addressing the issue of informal settlements, she said many residents live in such communities because they are excluded from formal housing systems.
“People do not want to live in shanties. They live there because cities are not planned with provisions for them,” she said.
According to her, existing legal and political frameworks have not adequately addressed the growing demand for affordable housing in Lagos.
An earlier copy of this report published by this platform contained a factual error that incorrectly linked the housing deficit to Lagos alone instead of Nigeria. The error is regretted.
