Sub-Saharan Africa » Nigeria » Nigeria
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Nigeria integrated Housing-Urban policies |
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| Nigeria is experiencing a massive rural migration paralleled with population and economic growth. The 3 factors altogether produce an enormous pressure in urban development requiring rapid decision-making and an integrated Public-Private response to huge housing needs. Metro Matrix provides an answer to those needs.
Rural migration in the next 20 years would require on the range on 8 million new housing. Upgrading of actual infra-standard conditions will require as well a 10 million housing production. These 18 million dwellings have to be produced at a rate of 2 m per year. With an average density of 35 houses per hectare (dense terraced housing adapted to evolving rural cultural conditions) these needs will amount to 600 sq.km per year. A rectangle of 20 x 30 km: a whole new metropolis every year. A Lagos every 2 years! It is necessary to ‘structure’ demand. That is to establish the different categories (real, potential, insolvent and unable) to target the necessary policies for each category with major private involvement in mind. Investment required will range on annual figures of 5 billion for the public sector (12.5%) and 35 billion for the private one (87.5%). The ‘average’ housing product cannot exceed the 20.000 USD threshold to be in the affordability bracket of the Nigerian population family income. This has to be done at a national scale as well as individually for the 19 major urban centers beyond ½ million inhabitants that are experiencing this major growth pressure. Then comes the need to produce the serviced land (site and service approach?) and to locate it correctly in relation to public transport, the environment and productive activity (jobs) and social facilities (needs). Metro matrix can provide for that in an just in time approach, as shown for the case of Abuja with the 12 million population explosion expected beyond the FCT district. New Governance figures (Talk, Agree or Do?) will have to be established. |
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