By  Kingsley Adegboye

Worried by Nigeria’s huge housing deficit, which UN statistics put at between  16 -17 million units,  Lagos-based Architects have called for the construction of mass housing in the urban centres to bridge the huge gap which requires the construction of  720,000 housing units per annum in the  next 10 years.

Leading the call at the just concluded 4th Lagos Architects Forum, a former President of the African Union of Architects AUA, Ovuo Charles Majoroh stated that the development of mass housing particularly in Lagos is the most sensible project for the government, professionals and stakeholders in housing to embark on, in view of the influx of migrants into the sprawling city from across the nation and outside Nigeria.

Majoroh who is also a past President of the Nigerian Institute of Architects posited  that the mass housing development should specifically address low income and medium income earners in the society. He noted that  if the project is pursued with transparency, housing shortfall in Lagos may become a thing of the past in short time to come.

Calling for partnership between government and private investors in real estate development, Majoroh said all over the world, it is private developers that take the lead in housing provision. The government’s responsibility, he said,  is to create the framework and enabling environment for private developers to thrive.

The NIA President, Mr. Ibrahim Haruna stated that shelter being one of man’s basic needs in life, should be accorded priority. Pointing out that the daily influx of migrants into Lagos is piling much pressure on housing need in the city, he called on planners in the city to come up with plans on how to accommodate the rising Lagos population.

Welcoming the participants to the Forum,. the Chairman of the Lagos chapter of the Institute, Ms  Abimbola Ajayi said the 2012 edition of the forum was put together to focus on housing development in view of the need  to make Lagos a vibrant and sustainable friendly and harmonious city.

“We hope to address government initiative for mass housing and the public desire for personal homes, single family and multi-family residential development, high rise, high density house development, affordable housing, low income housing, self-build housing, approval and development processes, real estate, mortgage finance and loans, urban transportation and secure transit, design technology, construction technology and green architecture”, she explained.