The Federal Government has disclosed that about 15.2 million housing units across Nigeria are structurally inadequate, raising serious concerns about safety, habitability, and access to basic services nationwide.

The revelation was made by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, in a statement issued on Thursday.

According to the minister, while these housing units physically exist, they fail to meet minimum standards for safety, durability, and decent living conditions, including access to essential infrastructure such as water supply, sanitation, and electricity.

Dangiwa said the findings emerged from the National Housing Data Initiative, following a presentation by the National Housing Data Technical Committee in Abuja.

He explained that Nigeria’s housing crisis goes beyond the shortage of new homes and includes widespread structural inadequacy in existing buildings.

The assessment, he noted, was conducted using internationally recognised measurement tools, including the Household Crowding Index, Adequate Housing Index, and Composite Index Methodology. Data were drawn from the National Population Commission (NPC), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and other housing-related institutions, in line with World Bank standards.

According to Dangiwa, the harmonised data framework now enables the government to clearly define the scale of housing inadequacy nationwide.

He stressed that solving the housing problem would require more than building new homes, calling for deliberate efforts to upgrade existing housing stock, regenerate deteriorating neighbourhoods, and improve supporting infrastructure and public services.

The minister further linked housing inadequacy to affordability challenges, limited access to land, weak housing finance systems, and significant regional disparities.

Data obtained by The Nation showed that Kano State recorded the highest level of housing inadequacy, while Bayelsa State recorded the lowest, based on the Adequate Housing Index.

To address the challenge, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has initiated plans to establish a National Housing Data Centre, aimed at supporting policymaking, improving access to housing finance, guiding investment decisions, and strengthening accountability in the housing sector.

The Data Centre is expected to enhance planning accuracy, boost investor confidence, and become operational by mid-January 2026.

Dangiwa also highlighted ongoing housing interventions under the Renewed Hope Estates and Cities Programme, with projects currently at different stages of completion across the country.

According to him, Renewed Hope Cities are large-scale housing developments planned across the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory, implemented through public-private partnerships.

In contrast, Renewed Hope Estates involve smaller clusters of about 250 housing units, funded directly by the Federal Government, with state governments providing land and subsidised infrastructure to improve affordability.

Despite these initiatives, the minister said Nigeria still faces a severe housing deficit, estimating that at least 550,000 new housing units are required annually, at a projected cost of ₦5.5 trillion over the next decade, to bridge the gap.