By Kingsley Adegboye 

The 19th Africa International Housing Show (AIHS), held from July 27 to August 1, 2025, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, ended with a strong call for action to transform the housing landscape across Africa. 

With the theme “Re-Imagining Housing Through Innovation, Collaboration and Policy,” the six-day gathering brought together ministers, governors, policymakers, multilateral agencies, industry leaders, and civil society from across the continent and beyond.

The high-profile event was attended by Honourable Ministers from Nigeria and other African countries, alongside former Nigerian Minister Professor Jerry Gana; Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Oba of Lagos, Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; Former Minister of Environment, Surveyor Suleiman Hassan Zarma; Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman, Nigeria’s Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee; Hon. Dr. Abike Dabiri, Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission; UN-Habitat representatives; World Bank officials; and executives from Shelter Afrique and key institutions in Africa. 

Opening the event, Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, reaffirmed that housing is a fundamental pillar of national stability, productivity, and dignity, and highlighted key interventions under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, Renewed Hope Housing Programme.

The keynote speaker, Mr. Fola Adeola, Chairman, FATE Foundation, who was represented by Mohammed Garuba, co-founder of CardinalStone Partners Limited, emphasized that solving Nigeria’s housing challenges requires viewing real estate as a viable investment option rather than merely a social responsibility.

Across nine keynote presentations and several high-level panel sessions, delegates examined pressing issues such as tax reforms for housing, sustainable building methods, industrialized construction, innovative financing models, gender-responsive policies, and the digital transformation of land administration. There was a strong consensus on aligning public policy with private investment to unlock Africa’s housing potential and to ensure that housing delivery is both affordable and inclusive.

At the close of deliberations, stakeholders resolved that African governments must urgently digitize land registries and adopt GIS-based systems to improve transparency, accelerate property transactions, and unlock dormant land value. 

They further emphasized the need to recapitalize and strengthen the regulatory framework of mortgage institutions such as Nigeria’s Federal Mortgage Bank and Primary Mortgage Banks in Africa to expand access to affordable housing finance. There was also a strong push for innovative financing options, including non-interest mortgages, rent-to-own schemes, and diaspora-targeted loans, which would broaden homeownership opportunities for both urban and rural populations.

Participants also called for the integration of local manufacturers into the housing value chain through targeted SME financing, tax incentives, and technical training programmes that can reduce construction costs and stimulate job creation. 

Gender inclusion emerged as a critical priority, with a call for policymakers to embed women’s participation in housing design, finance, policy formulation, and leadership roles at every level of the sector. 

Meanwhile, delegates also urged the establishment of robust institutional frameworks for slum upgrading, anchored on infrastructure-first urban renewal, secure land tenure, and community participation.

The conference highlighted the importance of expanding Nigeria’s MOFI Real Estate Investment Fund (MREIF) as a beacon of innovation and a replicable model for financing housing across Africa. Another major recommendation was the immediate rollout of the National Housing Data Centre to centralize data on land, housing, and finance for evidence-based policy-making. 

To address the skills gap in the construction industry, stakeholders proposed the creation of a National Artisan and Housing Skill Activation Programme, alongside the acceleration of foreclosure law reforms and the streamlining of mortgage dispute resolution through specialized tribunals.

In a bid to ensure that AIHS resolutions lead to tangible outcomes, the gathering endorsed the establishment of a permanent Africa International Housing Show Secretariat to transition the event from an annual conference to a year-round continental movement. 

Delegates committed to sustained advocacy, follow-up with policymakers, and close collaboration among stakeholders to ensure that recommendations are implemented and progress is measurable.

Convener of AIHS, Festus Adebayo, described the 2025 edition as “a turning point for African housing,” stressing that “this event is no longer just a conference; it is a movement for tangible change in how Africa plans, finances, and delivers housing.”