Nigeria’s growing homelessness

For more than three decades, Nigeria has grappled with the troubling reality of citizens living under bridges and in other makeshift shelters. What was once largely perceived as the plight of a relatively small number of homeless individuals in major cities has evolved into a nationwide crisis. Across the country, millions of Nigerians lack access to decent, secure and affordable housing, raising serious questions about the commitment of successive governments to one of the most basic needs of their citizens.

The problem extends beyond those sleeping under bridges. Thousands have turned motor parks and uncompleted buildings into homes, while some members of the struggling middle class now spend nights in their cars because they can no longer afford rent. For a country aspiring to economic growth and improved living standards, this is a distressing indictment of public policy and a warning that the housing crisis is spreading beyond the poorest and most vulnerable members of society.

This is not merely a consequence of rural-to-urban migration or the search for economic opportunities. It reflects deepening inequality, rising living costs and the persistent failure of successive governments to create an enabling environment for affordable housing. When working citizens can no longer afford a roof over their heads, the problem goes beyond individual hardship to expose a structural failure that demands urgent attention.

The gravity of the challenge is reflected in Nigeria’s global ranking. The 2025 World Population Review, as reported by Daily Trust, estimates that Nigeria has about 4.5 million homeless people, the highest figure among African countries. Uganda follows with approximately four million, while Sudan is estimated to have three million. Egypt, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia also account for significant homeless populations.

Growing numbers of people are living on the streets, under bridges and in informal settlements, particularly in cities such as Lagos, Kano and Abuja, where rising rents and migration pressures have made decent accommodation increasingly unaffordable.

Globally, homelessness is broadly understood to include not only people sleeping on the streets but also those living in temporary shelters, camps for displaced persons and unsafe or severely inadequate housing. Organisations such as UN-Habitat and the Institute of Global Homelessness recognise the need for broader approaches to understanding the problem. By this wider understanding, millions more Nigerians may be living in conditions that fall short of decent and secure accommodation, even if they are not officially classified as homeless.

The housing challenge becomes even more alarming when viewed alongside the country’s housing deficit. According to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Nigeria faces a deficit of about 15.2 million housing units. Former minister Architect Ahmed Musa Dangiwa explained that the figure includes existing housing units that fall below acceptable standards of safety, durability, infrastructure and access to essential services. This means that, beyond those classified as homeless, millions of Nigerians live in accommodation that fails to meet minimum standards of decent living.

Yet, it would be misleading to suggest that Nigeria simply lacks houses. Across major cities, particularly Abuja and Lagos, numerous high-end residential properties remain vacant. The problem is that many of these houses, whether offered for rent or sale, were not built with ordinary Nigerians in mind. Their prices are far beyond the reach of average earners, making them accessible largely to the wealthy. The coexistence of vacant luxury properties and citizens sleeping in unsafe places exposes a fundamental failure to match housing supply with actual social needs.

This situation did not begin today. Over the years, housing development has increasingly favoured high-income earners, while the accommodation needs of low-income households have received insufficient attention. Government housing programmes have not adequately closed the gap, and private developers, understandably driven by commercial returns, have little incentive to build for people who cannot afford prevailing market prices. The responsibility therefore rests with the government to create policies and incentives that make affordable housing economically viable.

Inflation has made an already difficult situation worse. The rising costs of construction materials, land acquisition, transportation and labour have pushed building expenses beyond the reach of many developers and prospective homeowners. Rent has also soared, placing enormous pressure on household incomes. Without urgent intervention, even more working-class Nigerians could be forced into overcrowded, substandard accommodation or outright homelessness. The consequences would include worsening public health, insecurity, social exclusion and reduced productivity.

We believe that part of the solution lies in making better use of local resources. Nigeria possesses abundant indigenous building materials that could significantly reduce construction costs if properly developed and deployed. It is time to reconsider the country’s overwhelming dependence on conventional cement-based construction and other expensive building methods that make decent housing unaffordable to millions.

Clay, for instance, is readily available in many parts of the country and can be processed into burnt bricks and other suitable building components.

Such an approach could reduce building costs, create employment, stimulate local industries and expand access to decent housing. However, it requires investment in research, technical training, quality control and public awareness to overcome misconceptions about indigenous materials. The government should support pilot projects, provide incentives for developers using approved local materials and ensure that building regulations encourage innovation without compromising safety.

Nigeria also needs a comprehensive and practical housing policy that places low-income earners at its centre. Federal and state governments should expand social and affordable housing schemes, improve access to serviced land and basic infrastructure, and develop transparent financing arrangements that ordinary workers can afford.

We insist that Nigeria cannot claim meaningful progress while millions of its citizens lack decent shelter. Homelessness is both a social and economic emergency, and addressing it requires more than political promises.

The time has come for governments at all levels to treat affordable housing not as an optional development project, but as a national priority and a basic human necessity.