By Kingsley Adegboye

As the world marks World Habitat Day 2025 today, the Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN), has called for urgent action towards climate-resilient housing, sustainable urban planning, and inclusive housing policies across Nigeria, warning that “every home built today must stand against tomorrow’s climate risks.”
World Habitat Day, observed on the first Monday of October each year, was established by the United Nations to reflect on the state of towns and cities and reaffirm the basic right of every human being to adequate shelter. It also reminds the global community that everyone has the power and responsibility to shape the future of urban settlements.
This year’s global observance, holding today is themed “Urban Crisis Response”, drawing attention to how conflicts, climate disasters, and economic instability are transforming cities and deepening inequality.
The theme emphasises that inclusive urban crisis response must create the conditions for people to return, reintegrate, and rebuild their lives with dignity.
According to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), over 122 million people are currently displaced worldwide, with more than 60 percent of them seeking refuge in cities.
This growing trend of urban displacement is exerting immense pressure on already fragile housing systems and public services, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria.
Nigeria’s urban crisis is escalating rapidly, driven by poor planning, weak enforcement of regulations, and rapid population growth. Experts estimate that Nigeria’s cities are expanding at a rate far faster than their infrastructure can support, resulting in overcrowded settlements, pollution, and inadequate social amenities.
The Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN), in its statement to mark World Habitat Day, expressed concern that Nigeria’s urban landscape is under increasing strain due to unregulated construction, poor waste management, and the loss of green areas meant to serve as buffers against flooding and heatwaves.
In cities such as Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Asaba, green belts originally designed as utility corridors and environmental buffers have been converted into residential and commercial properties.
These encroachments, HDAN warned, have worsened flooding, blocked natural drainage channels, and increased the vulnerability of urban dwellers to disasters.
The organisation cited recent floods that displaced hundreds of thousands of Nigerians, destroyed farmlands, and affected livelihoods across several states, calling it a stark reminder of the urgent need for climate-responsive urban planning.
“Urban planning in Nigeria must evolve from being reactive to proactive. We cannot continue to approve developments that ignore the environment. The floods, heatwaves, and land degradation we are witnessing are direct results of poor planning and lack of sustainability,” said Festus Adebayo, Executive Director of HDAN.
He added that Nigeria must begin to view urban resilience and green housing as matters of national security, not mere environmental policy.
Beyond environmental concerns, HDAN highlighted Nigeria’s deepening housing crisis, which has become a major driver of poverty and inequality. The nation currently faces an estimated housing deficit of over 28 million units, with the majority of low- and middle-income Nigerians priced out of both homeownership and rental markets.
According to the group, rising construction costs, inflation, limited access to mortgage financing, and bureaucratic bottlenecks in land acquisition have all combined to make homeownership a distant dream for many Nigerians.
“The housing situation is becoming a ticking time bomb. As more Nigerians fall off the homeownership and renting ladder, the social implications will be devastating,” Adebayo warned.
He stressed that housing must be treated as a human development priority, not a luxury, and that future housing developments must integrate climate-smart designs, renewable energy systems, and affordable financing models.
Despite the challenges, HDAN commended ongoing national initiatives designed to improve housing accessibility and affordability.
These include the Help to Buy, Rent-to-Own, and MOFI Real Estate Investment Fund (MREIF) programmes, as well as mortgage schemes promoted through the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and Family Homes Fund.
“These initiatives are commendable and show that progress is possible when there is political will and collaboration between government, private developers, and financial institutions,” Adebayo said.
He emphasised, however, that for these programs to have real impact, implementation must be transparent, inclusive, and targeted toward those most in need, particularly low-income earners, youths, and displaced persons.
HDAN also echoed the UN’s position that housing, land, and basic services must be placed at the heart of crisis recovery and urban development.
The group noted that inclusive crisis response, one that integrates sustainable housing and infrastructure creates the conditions for displaced populations to reintegrate and rebuild their lives with dignity.
It also called for stronger partnerships between federal and state governments, private developers, and civil society organizations to ensure coordinated responses to housing and climate-related emergencies.
The organization proposed several strategic interventions for Nigeria’s housing and urban sector, including public-private partnerships to scale up affordable housing projects using local materials; reform of the land use act to simplify land acquisition and attract investment; micro-housing loans and incremental financing options for low-income households; mandatory green building codes to promote energy efficiency and climate resilience, and investment in drainage systems, waste management, and renewable energy solutions in urban centers.
Meanwhile, HDAN reaffirmed its commitment to advancing green housing innovations, policy reforms, and sustainable urban development across Africa.
The network urged governments, urban planners, and developers to see housing not just as infrastructure, but as a social contract with the next generation.
“If we fail to build sustainably today,” HDAN warned, “we risk creating tomorrow’s disasters. Every home built today must stand against tomorrow’s climate risks.”
As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to commemorate World Habitat Day 2025, HDAN emphasizes urgency that the future of Nigerian cities depends on the choices made today in housing, planning, and environmental stewardship.