The president of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Akintoye Adeoye, has called for stronger blended financing structures to unlock investments in Nigeria’s housing and infrastructure sectors.

According to a statement on Thursday, Mr Adeoye said Nigeria’s housing and infrastructure needs could not be met through conventional financing alone. He made the statement at the 2026 Africa Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Conference and Exhibition in Lagos.

REDAN and the Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria jointly organised the conference, in partnership with the Nigeria Mega Project Expo 2026.

Blended finance is a structuring approach that mixes public or philanthropic funds with private investment and also uses non-commercial capital to absorb extra risk or accept lower returns.

He urged stronger collaboration among government, developers, mortgage institutions, commercial banks, development finance institutions and institutional investors.

According to him, blended finance can combine public, private and development-oriented capital to de-risk investments and improve housing affordability.

“First, we must unlock blended finance; the scale of Nigeria’s housing and infrastructure needs cannot be met by conventional financing alone. We need stronger collaboration between government, developers, mortgage institutions, commercial banks, development finance institutions, institutional investors and other sources of capital.

“Blended finance provides an opportunity to combine public, private and development-oriented capital to de-risk investments, improve affordability and unlock projects that may otherwise remain financially challenging.

“As REDAN and MBAN, we must continue to advocate for financing structures that make sustainable housing commercially viable and accessible to more Nigerians,” he said.

Mr Adeoye also urged real estate developers to embrace green innovation as part of efforts to improve the sector’s efficiency, resilience and long-term value.

He said energy-efficient buildings, renewable energy, sustainable construction materials, water efficiency, waste management and smart technologies offered opportunities for innovation.

He added that such solutions could reduce operating costs, improve building quality and enhance occupants’ wellbeing.

“We must embrace green innovation. Sustainable real estate should not be viewed as an additional cost; it should increasingly be seen as an investment in efficiency, resilience and long-term value.

“From energy-efficient buildings and renewable energy to sustainable construction materials, water efficiency, waste management, climate-resilient infrastructure and smart technologies, there are enormous opportunities for innovation within Nigeria’s real estate value chain,” he said.

The REDAN president also stressed the need to strengthen governance in the real estate sector, with emphasis on transparency, accountability, ethical business practices and responsible leadership.

He said good governance would build confidence, protect consumers, strengthen investor trust, improve access to finance and enhance the credibility and sustainability of the real estate industry.

“We must strengthen governance; no discussion about ESG can be complete without emphasising transparency, accountability, ethical business practices and responsible leadership.

“Good governance builds confidence. It protects consumers, strengthens investor trust, improves access to finance and contributes to the credibility and sustainability of the real estate industry,” he said.

Mr Adeoye said the conference allowed stakeholders to move from discussions on ESG principles to practical implementation.

He urged participants to identify practical solutions and opportunities for collaboration that would contribute to a more sustainable, inclusive, innovative and resilient Nigerian real estate sector.

(NAN)