EXPERTS CANVASS ENACTMENT OF NIGERIAN HOUSING ACT

   

Stakeholders in the built environment are proposing the enactment of a Nigerian Housing Act that will ensure the provision of mandatory housing for the masses by the government. Similar to the united kingdom housing Act, 2004, which among other things, make provision for a system of assessing housing conditions and enforcing standards, the Nigerian Housing Act is expected to harmonise all the existing policies on housing and land administration into a law. A professor of housing and urban regeneration at the University of Lagos, Gbenga Nubi, who canvassed for the enactment of the Act and active government participation in the building industry, said that like the universal basic education that guaranteed every Nigerian child access to decent housing of all. “the Nigerian housing sector, in all its component areas requires active government participation as a firm enabler and not just a regulator,” he said. According to him, about 60 per cent of the present population of the country lack adequate housing, while an  overview of the sector reveals that access to adequate and affordable housing remains elusive to many Nigerians in both the urban and rural areas.  Nubi added, “it is necessity of government to give every Nigerian whatever they need to make sure that no Nigerian sleeps under the bridge like a dog. “it  is something that when it becomes a law, it will no longer be an obligation but a rule of the government. We have a building code has not become law, but it should be made an important component of the Act.”