Assessment of Housing Policy On Housing Deficit in Nigeria: A Case Study of Federal Housing Authority Abuja

Abstract

Nigeria the most populous nation in Africa, estimated to have 198 million people (NPC 2018), is faced with the problem of a huge housing deficit. As a result, many s /urns have emerged thereby distorting the growth and development of towns and cities. This study accessed housing policy on housing deficit in Nigeria with particular focus on Ahuja, within the framework of the Elite Theory of Public Policy. The implementation of housing policy in Nigeria by Federal Housing Authority appears to be elitist in its outlook as it favors the elite and not the masses, the study employed both the analytical and empirical approaches. The empirical employed survey method to generate data through administration of questionnaires, the data generated was presented in a tabular form and analyzed using percentages while the hypotheses were tested using Chi-square (X2). Findings have shown that factors such as lack of access to land, high cost of construction, lack of access to mortgage financing, poor administration, militate against the ability of Federal Housing Authority (FHA) in tackling the growing housing deficit in the Federal Capital Territory and lack of fund impedes the implementation of the housing policy. The study also revealed that change of leadership results in frequent policy changes. It is the conclusion of the study that the implementation of the housing policy in Nigeria and especially in the Federal Capital Territory has not been effective despite frantic efforts of successive governments. The study therefore, recommends that the Land Use Act of the 1978 be amended to make accessibility to land easier and faster, the contract system in the FHA should be strengthen in order to rid it of sharp practices and make it more responsive in delivering qualitative and affordable housing and the funding of FHA that was resuscitated in 2018 by government must be followed through by making it a yearly budgetary appropriation.