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| Housing Estate in Lagos |
By Precious Udom
The three basic needs of human beings are food, clothing and shelter. Food is needed to keep body and soul together, clothing for warm and shelter for comfort and protection from elements of nature as well as living.
There are an estimated 7.2 billion people in the world and all these persons must eat food, cloth themselves and have a decent and an affordable home to call their own.
The three basic needs of human beings are food, clothing and shelter. Food is needed to keep body and soul together, clothing for warm and shelter for comfort and protection from elements of nature as well as living.
There are an estimated 7.2 billion people in the world and all these persons must eat food, cloth themselves and have a decent and an affordable home to call their own.
They may
both start out as tenants and end up building their houses or remain as tenants
for life.
In developed and developing countries of the world, there are a number in indices that are militating against majority of people from becoming landlords or landladies, having stayed as tenants in houses owned or built by someone else
Some of these indices are: the cost of acquiring a land, especially in major cities, the overall cost of constructing houses, which begins from the design stage to the actual construction level, where professionals like architects, draughts men, engineers, laborers etc are fully involved
In developed and developing countries of the world, there are a number in indices that are militating against majority of people from becoming landlords or landladies, having stayed as tenants in houses owned or built by someone else
Some of these indices are: the cost of acquiring a land, especially in major cities, the overall cost of constructing houses, which begins from the design stage to the actual construction level, where professionals like architects, draughts men, engineers, laborers etc are fully involved
In Nigeria
for instance, becoming a house owner is almost a futile dream to majority of
Nigerians.
The country
is generally acclaimed as the giant of Africa. Therefore, with this giant toga,
Nigeria is expected to play the big-brother-role to other countries in the
continent
But, the facts and realities on ground are rather frightening. Nigeria has an estimated population of 150 million people.
But, the facts and realities on ground are rather frightening. Nigeria has an estimated population of 150 million people.
Regrettably
however, less than 5% of Nigerians are super-rich and could therefore budget
millions of naira and foreign currencies to build monumental structures in
major cities like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano etc
The remaining 95 percent are made up of Nigerians, who are living well below a dollar- a-day, with the middle class having a minimal percentage from this figure.
The remaining 95 percent are made up of Nigerians, who are living well below a dollar- a-day, with the middle class having a minimal percentage from this figure.
The
bottom-line is that while super-rich Nigerians live so-called mega areas like
Lekki, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Abuja, oil rich Port Harcourt etc, some ordinary
Nigerians, whose N18, 000 minimum wage could not take them past the nearest
bus-stop could only afford to erect makeshift structures under our various
bridges, at Makoko, Ajegunle, Agege, Itire and other ghettoes across the
country
Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos state, southwest Nigeria recently okay a bill to discourage Landlords in the state from collecting in excess of one year from a new tenant and six month from a sitting tenant.
The truth is that in most high density areas in Lagos for instance, a room costs a much a N2000 per month, while a mini-flat up to a three bedroom flat goes for between N3000-N10,000 every month as the case may be.
Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos state, southwest Nigeria recently okay a bill to discourage Landlords in the state from collecting in excess of one year from a new tenant and six month from a sitting tenant.
The truth is that in most high density areas in Lagos for instance, a room costs a much a N2000 per month, while a mini-flat up to a three bedroom flat goes for between N3000-N10,000 every month as the case may be.
The shylock landlords, either directly or
though the agents could demand for 2-3 year down payment for the rent,
accompanied by agreement fee and other incidental charges
Therefore, it is obvious that the words that go with low cost housing in Nigeria, especially in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, are either ignored by these landlords or they simply do not give a damn about it.
Therefore, it is obvious that the words that go with low cost housing in Nigeria, especially in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, are either ignored by these landlords or they simply do not give a damn about it.
In Lagos, a
mini-flat goes for between N180, 000 –N300, 000 per year. And a new tenant has
to cough out a three year down payments with agreement fee and other
expenses allowed to take possession of the place.
In most
cases, some scrupulous landlords and landladies could give out an accommodation
to more than one seekers at shylock amount, even if the seeker is an employed person that collects his/her
meager salary monthly.
So, while the Lagos state government is deeply interested in tackling the embarrassing housing issues in the state, so that people could get cheap, affordable and descent houses to rent, regardless of whether it is in the choice areas, where the density of people is low or in high density areas.
So, while the Lagos state government is deeply interested in tackling the embarrassing housing issues in the state, so that people could get cheap, affordable and descent houses to rent, regardless of whether it is in the choice areas, where the density of people is low or in high density areas.
Where the one-room apartment is popular, some
landlords have simply ignored the bill, insisting that accommodation seekers
should go to Fashola to get their houses, since it was not government that
build their houses for them
A landlord in Abule-Egba, who identify himself as Samuel Ajibola said that past and possibly present government at various levels are playing politics and lip service to the embarrassing re-occurring of housing for majority of Nigerians
According to him, the cost of acquiring a land anywhere in Lagos, obtaining C-of-O, settling omoniles, and eventually erecting the houses is rather high and alarming.
A landlord in Abule-Egba, who identify himself as Samuel Ajibola said that past and possibly present government at various levels are playing politics and lip service to the embarrassing re-occurring of housing for majority of Nigerians
According to him, the cost of acquiring a land anywhere in Lagos, obtaining C-of-O, settling omoniles, and eventually erecting the houses is rather high and alarming.
A bad of
cement for instance cost N2, 000 on the average, while some government
officials could insist on collecting bribe before processing land documents for
people
Research reveals that government cannot run a successfully housing scheme, due to corruption, insincerity, politics and undue interference from above.
Research reveals that government cannot run a successfully housing scheme, due to corruption, insincerity, politics and undue interference from above.
The housing
estates across the country are targeted at the rich, who could afford them,
while poor Nigerians continue to live in sub-standard houses in our various
ghettoes and slums
Though in the past, Jakande Estate, built during the regime of Alhaji Lateef Jakande as governor of Lagos state, Festival Town, 1004 Estates etc have kind of alleviate the housing problems of Nigerians, they are grossly inadequate considering our alarming population figure
Even conventional banks in the country are not helping matters as their collaterals are something out of this world.
Though in the past, Jakande Estate, built during the regime of Alhaji Lateef Jakande as governor of Lagos state, Festival Town, 1004 Estates etc have kind of alleviate the housing problems of Nigerians, they are grossly inadequate considering our alarming population figure
Even conventional banks in the country are not helping matters as their collaterals are something out of this world.
If these
banks eventually give people money to build descent, cheap and affordable
houses, with 22 percent interest on the loans, house owners could also be
forced to become desperate in trying to re-coup their investments in the
housing project
As Patrick Akpan, a Real Estate Appraiser said government should take a critical study of similar massive housing development for the low income earners as developed in China, Singapore, Malaysia and Egypt.
As Patrick Akpan, a Real Estate Appraiser said government should take a critical study of similar massive housing development for the low income earners as developed in China, Singapore, Malaysia and Egypt.
Thereafter,
appropriate legislation and development of an effective and suitable model for
Nigeria be passed into law.
The model
should be one that would be easily implemented and tailored to meet our local
needs.
Collaboration
with appropriate financial institutions, developers, building professional and
investors for long-term investment in this sector is feasible.
A collaboration of this nature should make
government to pass legislations aimed at easing land acquisition, development
planning permissions and perfection of titles for low cost housing
developments.
Government should also provide land at affordable cost to developers even in areas away from city centers to avoid over-crowding. They should agree to construct link roads as well as, provision of site and service infrastructures for these lands such as; like electricity, water, roads and other basic needs to attract people to these areas.
National Director, Habitat for Humanity Nigeria Ezekiel Ojo says that Nigeria requires additional 16 million houses to address the housing needs of her teeming population. Ojo dropped this hint while handing over 100 housing units to the beneficiaries in am MTN sponsored housing scheme in Nassrawa state.
Government should also provide land at affordable cost to developers even in areas away from city centers to avoid over-crowding. They should agree to construct link roads as well as, provision of site and service infrastructures for these lands such as; like electricity, water, roads and other basic needs to attract people to these areas.
National Director, Habitat for Humanity Nigeria Ezekiel Ojo says that Nigeria requires additional 16 million houses to address the housing needs of her teeming population. Ojo dropped this hint while handing over 100 housing units to the beneficiaries in am MTN sponsored housing scheme in Nassrawa state.
According to him, Nigeria currently has
deficit of about 16 million units and the government cannot meet the demand
alone.
Although,
there are many developers in the country, Ojo said their houses are beyond the
reach of low income earners.
"It is
interesting to note that the so-called low cost housing units in the country
are outside the reach of the middle income group talk more of low income. They
are not in any way affordable.
Our two
bedroom units is about N1.5 million whereas similar products tagged low cost by
the developers ranges from a minimum of N3.5 million to N6 million".
He observed that despite the huge cost, process of acquiring such houses is so difficult. He therefore asked: How many honest civil servants in Nigeria can afford a home of N3.5 million from the meager salary?
He observed that despite the huge cost, process of acquiring such houses is so difficult. He therefore asked: How many honest civil servants in Nigeria can afford a home of N3.5 million from the meager salary?
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