Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo Olu, has said addressing the state’s housing deficit requires more than constructing additional homes, stressing that affordability, accessibility and access to essential services are equally important.
Sanwo Olu stated this in a keynote address delivered by the Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu Fatai, at the 2026 World Habitat Day celebration in Lagos on Monday.
The celebration was held under the theme, “Adequate Housing for All.”
The governor said the mere existence of a building does not necessarily mean it provides adequate accommodation for the family living in it, noting that proper housing must guarantee security, affordability, accessibility and basic services.
He said the state government had provided 10,623 housing units through direct budgetary allocations and public private partnerships since 2019, with 23 housing estates completed across Lagos’ five divisions.
Sanwo Olu, however, acknowledged that the achievement was only part of the broader response required to address the state’s housing needs.
According to him, the government is expanding opportunities for home ownership through initiatives including the Rent to Own scheme and Lagos HOMS.
He added that five housing projects currently under construction would provide another 1,584 homes.
Sanwo Olu also stressed the importance of infrastructure around residential areas, saying roads, drainage, electricity and water supply were essential components of adequate housing.
He said the state was pursuing tenancy reforms aimed at protecting residents from arbitrary rent increases and unlawful charges.
The governor urged developers, financial institutions, planning professionals, traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders to contribute to the development of safe and sustainable communities.
He also advised residents to comply with physical planning regulations, warning that structures erected without the necessary approvals could endanger occupants and neighbouring communities.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, linked adequate housing to transportation, employment, security, healthcare, education, water supply, sanitation and effective urban planning.
Olumide said Lagos’ rapid population growth had increased pressure on land, housing and other urban services, making coordinated physical planning necessary.
He called for greater cooperation among government agencies, private developers, financial institutions, professional organisations, communities and other stakeholders to achieve adequate housing for residents.
The Founder and Convener of the Africa International Housing Show, Festus Adebayo, described the high cost of housing as both an economic and social challenge.
Adebayo said many young graduates and working families were spending significant portions of their incomes on rent and transportation, leaving them with limited capacity to save, invest or purchase homes.
He argued that the housing debate should focus not only on the number of available houses but also on whether people could afford and access them.
Adebayo noted that some residential properties across Nigeria remained vacant even as many families struggled to obtain decent accommodation.
He therefore advocated improved access to land and housing finance, as well as stronger cooperation between government and private sector stakeholders to make housing more affordable.
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, David Olawale, said sustainable housing depended on effective urban planning and collaboration between government and professional bodies.
Olawale also referenced Sustainable Development Goal 11, which promotes inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and human settlements.
The General Manager of the Lagos Informal Space Management Authority, Daisi Oso, said World Habitat Day should be viewed beyond the construction of houses, stressing the importance of developing communities that are safe, peaceful, accessible and sustainable.
