Former military head of state, Yakubu Gowon, has urged African leaders to prioritise affordable housing as a key component of their sustainable development agendas.

Mr Gowon made the call at the opening of the 19th Africa International Housing Show on Tuesday in Abuja.

Mr Gowon noted that inadequate housing remained one of the most critical issues facing the continent, stressing that affordable housing directly influenced public health, education, and economic productivity.

He said it was imperative for leaders to promote sustainable urban development and inclusive policies.

Mr Gowon said that African governments must collaborate to ensure housing policies are not only effective but also equitable and inclusive. He added that innovation, investment, and implementation were key to meeting the needs of Africa’s rapidly growing population.

Former information minister Jerry Gana restated Mr Gowon’s concerns, saying Nigeria is grappling with how to make housing finance affordable for its citizens. He stated that high construction costs, exacerbated by reliance on imported building materials, made homeownership unattainable for many workers.

Mr Gana called on stakeholders to focus on local production of building materials, which he said would significantly lower construction costs. He added that a vibrant housing sector could generate significant employment opportunities, but warned that such outcomes would only be possible through adequate funding of the sector.

Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to ensuring that access to decent housing was treated as a fundamental human right, not a privilege.

Mr Dangiwa said that while housing availability was important, access and affordability remained the core challenges across Africa. He noted that incomes were too low to support housing costs, even where homes were available.

He said the Tinubu administration was working to stabilise the economy, strengthen the naira, increase real incomes, and reduce inflation, all of which were essential to making housing both affordable and sustainable.

Mr Dangiwa highlighted ongoing federal housing initiatives, including the Renewed Hope Cities in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Maiduguri, Kaduna, and Nasarawa; the Renewed Hope Estates in 30 states; and the Renewed Hope Social Housing programme.

Chairman of the AIHS advisory board, Suleiman Zarma, expressed concern over the scale of Africa’s housing deficit, stating that Sub-Saharan Africa alone faced a shortfall of more than 50 million housing units.

(NAN)