Lagos state is one of the most populated cities in Nigeria, with population going over 20,000 people, this is as a result of the large influx of people migrating into the city every day.
A large number of people agree to the fact that housing in the city are overpriced, irrespective of the size, location, or use of the property. The cheapest and “habitable” one room apartment in yaba, Lagos, for a single working class individual , for instance starts from #300,000 (three hundred thousand naira). Recent research also found that a large percentage of average ad low income earners spend 30% of their income on housing, and unfortunately, housing is a basic need for human survival, and for every organization or individual that wants to thrive, needs a decent housing.
So, how can we solve this problem?
Spaces should be maximized by encouraging the construction of small efficiency units (micro units), and at the same time, there is a need to think of the best way to plan the city. Zoning laws should be designed in such a way that would be room for micro units.
Housing problems generally, evolve as a result due to the fact that construction of houses are left to (a large extent) private market, and private developments do not always make provision for smaller or micro units for middle or low income earners, their so called micro units are not affordable to the low income earners who play important role in the society. Rather they construct expensive homes and office buildings for people of high class, who can afford them without hassles.
To sum it up, property value is still on the high side, and we do not know when there is going to be a decline, therefore, it is important that government and private developers, consider more innovative housing options, that focus on affordability, health and safety of people