Open up land access to tackle housing deficit, valuers urge FG

Estate surveyors and valuers are urging the Nigerian government to improve land access and infrastructure development to tackle the country's housing deficit, which is estimated to be over 21 million units. Speaking at a forum in Abuja, the President of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Bature Muhammad, said that increased access to land would enable Nigerians to build their own homes, rather than waiting for government intervention.

The government's Renewed Hope Housing Scheme, which has begun constructing housing units across several states, was also praised as a positive step. However, Muhammad stressed the importance of reliable national data for property valuation, infrastructure planning, and economic development, and called for the establishment of a consolidated national database to support these efforts.

Acting Chairman Aminu Waziri echoed these sentiments, calling for massive infrastructure development, particularly in satellite communities surrounding major cities, to reduce the housing deficit and encourage investment in housing construction.