Causes and Consequences of Housing Policy Failure in Nigeria

Afolabi Aribigbola (PhD, MNITP, RTP)Department of Geography & Planning SciencesAdekunle Ajasin UniversityAkungba AkokoOndo StateNigeriaE-mail faribs1@yahoo.com or aribigbola@adekunleajasinuniversity.edu.ng

Outline of Presentation Introduction Purpose of Paper Conceptual Clarifications Housing Situation in Nigeria The Study Area and Methods Housing Policies in Nigeria Housing policies Failure Causes of the Failure Consequences of the failure Recommendations and Conclusions

Introduction Deteriorating housing conditions in the urban

areas of developing societies Design of housing policies to combat the

problem -First attempt- 1920s -Provision of Staff Quarters -Direct construction of houses etc -Introduction of National Housing Policy (NHP)

in 1991-New National Housing Policy (NNHP) in 2002.

Purpose of the Paper Highlights of housing policies in

Nigeria- Their failures-Identify its consequences-Recommendation to improve the

housing policy

A Conceptual Framework (Model) For the Study of a Housing Policy

Fundamentality of Housing Three main motives for housing

policy formulation-Social factors -Political factors-Economic consideration

Conceptual Framework Cont’s

Dewar (1979) reveals three common interrelated failings-Various parts of policies not co-ordinated; -Housing is only partially and not synoptically perceived-Policies seen as mechanisms for the generation of

physical products Hindrances in the industry include;-Accessibility to land-Cost of building materials, -Finance,-Cost of infrastructure, -Cost of labour -Uncontrolled inflationary trend.

Housing Situation in Nigeria

  Massive housing shortages Estimates of annual housing unit required vary from 144,000 (Ekueme, 1999 ) to 300,000 units (Nigeria, 1980) 1991 specify 8 million housing units by the year 2000 ADRecent estimates t 16-17 million units In 2010 eighty-five percent of the urban population lives in rented accommodation, spending more than 40% of their income on rent7. Of these, 90% are self-built and this is mainly due to lack of mortgage financing, and less than 5% have formal title registration.Informal housing is most prevalent as more than 80% of the population lives in settlements that are unplanned with poor living conditions. In the rural areas, people live mostly in mud buildingsAcute shortage of dwelling units, resulting in overcrowding, high rents, poor urban living conditions, low infrastructure services, deteriorating environment, increasing poverty and rise in urban insecurity

The Study Area The study location is Nigeria-Nigeria is located in the West coast of Africa-A federation of 36 states and A Federal Capital

Territory( Abuja)-774 Local Government Areas (LGAs). -250 ethnic groups- Most populous country in Africa-Has a population of 30.4 million in 1952 -55.7 million in 1963, -88.9 million in 1991 -102.3 million in 1996- Over 140million in 2006-Estimated to be about 167 million in 2011 -Urban population increased from 10% in 1952 to 48% in 2009

The Study Area Cont’s-Housing policy is regulated by Federal Ministry of

Lands, Housing and Urban Development. -Two implementing agencies-Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN)-Federal Housing Authority (FHA) -36 states State ministry of housing -Housing corporations focus on the supply of

middle-income housing. -About 10.7 million houses in Nigeria (There is still

a dearth of housing)

Data Collection Methods

Quantitative: Secondary data sources from government publications and other documentaries etc.

Housing Policies in Nigeria

Public intervention in housing in Nigeria began in Lagos in the 1920s.

-Between 1900 to 1960 provision of quarters Housing delivery in two areas -Federal Low-Cost Housing Project (1972-1979,

and 1975-1983) -Site – and – Services Programme (1984 –1988)-National Housing Programme based on the

concept of affordability and citizen participation in 1980.

The 1991 National Housing Policy

Ultimate goal of ensuring that all Nigerians owned or had access to decent housing accommodation at affordable cost by the year 2000AD.

Created a two-tier institutional financial structure, Primary Mortgage Institutions (PMIs) Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) Workers to contribute 2.5 of their monthly income Commercial and Merchant Banks FMBN to contribute 10 per

cent of its non-life funds and 40 percent of its life funds to FMBN. Provided for borrowing up to five times of taxable income Assigned responsibilities to the three tiers of governments The recognition of the growing housing problems in both the

rural and urban areas of Nigeria

New National Housing Policy (NNHP) of 2002.

Primary goal of ensuring that all Nigerians own or have access to decent, safe and sanitary housing accommodation at affordable cost with secure tenure through private initiative, that is Real Estate Developers on the basis of mortgage financing.

Transition from government-built to privately developed housing Estates built in the 1950s and 1960s were sold to private individuals Emergence of Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria Amortization period for NHF loan repayment increased from 25 to30

years, Loan repayment period for developers is 24 months. Interest rates to PMIs reduced to 4 % from 5 % Lending rates to contributors reduced to 6 % from 9% Permitted gradual withdrawal of contributors Establishes pilot project -construction of 40,000 housing units per

annum

Housing Policies Failure in Nigeria and its Explanation

Achievement level of the policies has been low. 1991 NHP projected national housing need of 8.2 million Only one million housing units or about 12 percent were built Policy envisaged that people should not spend more 20%

housing 20% monthly income not adequate for loan repayment in 30

years. 2002 policy is targeted at those on grade levels 13 and

above. Policies focus on contributors to the scheme alone 75 percent of the dwelling units in Nigerian urban centres No evidence of efforts made to upgrade housing as specified

in the policies.

Explanation of Housing Policy failure Continues

Citizens are expected to access loan housing through the PMIs.

287 PMIs were licensed to operate the N.H.F 232 of are located in Lagos state alone. No PMIs in several states 46 PMIs accredited to access NHF loan 28 (61percent) of the PMIs are concentrated in Lagos

state alone. Only 14 states and Abuja have accredited PMIs. The other 22 states are without PMIs Many PMIs have collapsed because of wide spread

distress in the financial sector

PMI Accredited to Access NHF by States

S/No. State Number of PMIs Percentage (%)1 Lagos 28 60.87

2 Akwa Ibom 1 2.17

3 Anambra 2 4.35

4 Enugu 3 6.52

5 Abuja 2 4.35

6 Kwara 1 2.17

7 Oyo 1 2.17

8 Kano 1 2.17

9 Ogun 1 2.17

10 Plateau 1 2.17

11 Kebbi 1 2.17

12 Abia 1 2.17

13 Delta 1 2.17

14 Sokoto 1 2.17

15 Bauchi 1 2.17

Total   46 100

TaTable 2: NHF Participationble 2: NHF Participation

S/No   2002 2008

1 NHF Fund Base # 10.3bn #41.96bn

2 Registered Contributors

1,855,686 3,427,348

3 Average Contribution #5,550.50 #12,242.70

4 Participatory 3 24

5 Av. Contribution/State #3.43bn #1.75bn

Causes of the Failures Weak Mortgage finance System Inadequate PMIs Lack of Social Housing Low participation by both contributors

and states

Consequences of the Failures Lack of basic facilities and

infrastructure Large proportion of urban population

remain deprived of basic services Deteriorating housing quality Inadequate dwelling units Growing housing affordability problem

Conclusion The two housing policies introduced have failed to

improve housing. There is growing problem of affordability, deterioration

housing conditions and overcrowding. The consequence of very grave unless drastic and

concerted efforts are made to redress situation. There is therefore a need to revisit the housing policy to

assist the poor who are in the majority. Introduce social housing and ensure that adequate funds

are allocated to the sector with thorough supervision. Full dependence mortgage financing and unfettered

market mechanism cannot be expected to produce the desire outcome of providing adequate housing.