By Emmanuel Ogbodo
Housing experts are calling for the development of high-rise buildings in Lagos and Abuja as a solution to Nigeria’s housing crisis.
They argue that vertical construction, common in developed countries, would provide affordable housing while easing urban challenges like population growth, slum expansion, and traffic congestion.
With Nigeria facing a 22-million-unit housing deficit, experts on the Housing Development Advocacy Network platform stressed that vertical development could be feasible with proper financing, advanced building technologies, and supportive government policies.
Lagos-based estate surveyor Femi Oyedele highlighted the need for high-rise projects in densely populated areas like Ebute Metta, Orile Iganmu, and Ijora Badiya.
He suggested constructing 10-storey buildings in Abuja’s key districts, such as Garki, Wuse, and Utako, to ease housing pressures.
However, experts identified financing and structural integrity as major challenges.
Some raised concerns over Nigeria’s track record of building collapses, while others pointed to successful high-rise models in Cairo and London, emphasizing the need for stronger banking policies to support such developments.
Professor Olugbenga Nubi of the University of Lagos stressed that vertical construction is essential but questioned developers’ financial capacity.
With only about 100,000 active mortgages in a nation of 200 million, he called for urgent reforms.
Experts urged the government to play a pivotal role through policy reforms, financial support, and land allocation for vertical housing projects.
They emphasized that high-rises offer reduced land costs, shorter commute times, and improved urban planning, making them a viable solution to Nigeria’s housing crisis.
