Tinubu
The Federal Government has announced plans to implement housing policy interventions aimed at ensuring Nigerian workers do not spend more than 40 percent of their income on rent, framed as part of a broader effort to ease economic pressure and curb public sector corruption.
Speaking on Wednesday, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Darma, stated that excessive housing expenses force workers to seek supplementary and sometimes illicit income streams to meet basic family obligations, such as healthcare and education.
Economic Pressure and Corruption Link
Darma emphasized that reducing the financial burden of rent on civil servants and low-income earners is a structural anti-corruption measure.
“If people with families tend to spend their legitimate income on rent, they will have to source other means to take care of their families and schooling. That creates an impetus for corruption,” Darma stated. “We are going to ensure that workers in this country do not spend 40 to 60 percent of their income on rent. By doing that, we reduce one major dimension that drives corruption.”
The minister made the remarks while commending the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for establishing internal initiatives to facilitate affordable housing access for its workforce.
Key Highlights & Deficit Statistics
Target Rent Burden: Cap housing expenditure at or below 40% of a worker’s monthly income.
National Deficit: Approximately 110 million Nigerians are currently unhoused or living in inadequate shelter, requiring an estimated 16 million housing units nationwide.
Abandoned Asset Recovery: Over 250,000 abandoned government housing units have been identified across various states for immediate assessment and revitalization.
State Interventions: Negotiations are underway with state governors to acquire, renovate, and allocate stalled housing estates to public sector workers.
To address the housing deficit without solely relying on costly new construction, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has initiated a comprehensive audit of abandoned housing developments spanning several decades, including those left incomplete since former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
Darma disclosed that the ministry is compiling full statistics and conducting site visits across all 36 states. The Federal Government’s strategy centers on partnering with state governments to take ownership of these properties.
“We have identified close to 250,000 abandoned housing units nationwide,” the minister noted. “If state governments can acquire and complete these units within the coming months to allocate them to civil servants, it will mark significant, immediate progress in closing the country’s housing deficit.”
He added that the ministry has engaged regulators, estate developers, and financial stakeholders to streamline funding and operational frameworks to deploy the required units over the next few months. (NAN)
