Legal Imperatives for Affordable Housing Delivery in Nigeria.
LEGAL IMPERATIVES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING DELIVERY IN NIGERIA.
Introduction.
Shelter or housing is one of the most basic of human needs; it ranked second only to food in the hierarchy of human needs.[1] It is fundamental to human survival and an essential component in the advancement of the quality of life of the citizenry.[2] Housing provides shelter for man in order for him to actualize his real potentials in life and contributes to the growth of the world economy.[3] The provision of housing is therefore sine qua non to the growth of man and development of the nation.
Effective housing delivery involves many actors and segments of the state apparatus, including the building materials sector, financial sector, real estate sector, energy and infrastructural development sectors and the environmental planning sector amongst others; it therefore requires effective partnership, collaboration and information sharing among different sectors of the economy. To fulfill the need for affordable housing in Nigeria, a multi-faceted approach that transcends the legal, social, economics, religious and cultural interfaces and traits must be put in place at any given time. The task of this paper is to examine the legal initiatives required to facilitate the delivery of affordable housing units to the generality of Nigerians irrespective of class, race or gender. This is with a view at pointing out the inhibitors to smooth housing delivery and proffering practical and workable solution to the identified problems.
To achieve this end the paper examines the concept of housing within the legal and statutory framework; it forays into the provisions of the Land Use Act, Planning Laws, Title Registration Laws, Property Tax Legislations and Infrastructural Laws amongst others; and submits that there is need for review of most of these legislations before any meaningful progress can be made in the provision of affordable housing to Nigerians.
Concept of Housing.
Quoting from the
Introduction.
Shelter or housing is one of the most basic of human needs; it ranked second only to food in the hierarchy of human needs.[1] It is fundamental to human survival and an essential component in the advancement of the quality of life of the citizenry.[2] Housing provides shelter for man in order for him to actualize his real potentials in life and contributes to the growth of the world economy.[3] The provision of housing is therefore sine qua non to the growth of man and development of the nation.
Effective housing delivery involves many actors and segments of the state apparatus, including the building materials sector, financial sector, real estate sector, energy and infrastructural development sectors and the environmental planning sector amongst others; it therefore requires effective partnership, collaboration and information sharing among different sectors of the economy. To fulfill the need for affordable housing in Nigeria, a multi-faceted approach that transcends the legal, social, economics, religious and cultural interfaces and traits must be put in place at any given time. The task of this paper is to examine the legal initiatives required to facilitate the delivery of affordable housing units to the generality of Nigerians irrespective of class, race or gender. This is with a view at pointing out the inhibitors to smooth housing delivery and proffering practical and workable solution to the identified problems.
To achieve this end the paper examines the concept of housing within the legal and statutory framework; it forays into the provisions of the Land Use Act, Planning Laws, Title Registration Laws, Property Tax Legislations and Infrastructural Laws amongst others; and submits that there is need for review of most of these legislations before any meaningful progress can be made in the provision of affordable housing to Nigerians.
Concept of Housing.
Quoting from the