Architects Pledge Commitment To Affordable Housing

The Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) have said that they will not relent in exploring all available means that would boost housing stocks in Nigeria, until housing becomes affordable to the common man in the country.

NIA, Lagos State Chapter unveiled their intentions towards affordable housing during an architectural forum organised by the chapter in Lagos recently which was targeted at bringing together all stakeholders within and outside the building industry.

Members observed that though estates were springing up here and there within Lagos particularly, and the country at large, but most of these homes are far from the reach of the common men, whose population are far above the few rich people in the society.

The group also used the forum to call for regeneration of blighted areas, which would douse tension on some major cities in the country, stressing that planned action will start with the inhabitants of Lagos State.

Speaking at the forum on the issue plaguing provision of affordable housing in Nigeria, the NIA’s chairman, Mrs. Abimbola Ajayi stated that access to land, realistic mortgage system and provision of infrastructure remained germane to solving housing deficit.

According to her, government needed to work on mortgage facilities that would afford recipient to pay within 10 years span, with very minimal interest.