An Assessment of the Implementation of Housing Policy in Nigeria: A Study of Federal Housing Authority (Fha), Abuja- 1991-2013

ABSTRACT

 In Nigeria. access lo decent and affordable housing is a big issue as housing deficit is estimated to be 16 mil1ion. It is against this background that this study assesses the implementation of housing policies in Nigeria focusing on the Federal Housing Authority (FHA). The study used elite theoretical framework of analysis to investigate the extent to which the policies of the FHA reflect the interests of the low-income earners which constitute a core aspect of its mandate. The study was conducted using a survey methodological approach with questionnaire as a major instrument of primary data co11ection. With the help of the Research Advisors' (20 I 3) prescription, a sample size of 750 respondents was selected through a multi stage sampling rechnique. The items in the questionnaire were coded and analysed with the use of SPSS' version 17. Mean scores and Pearson chisquare were used in the testing and interpretation of hypotheses. The findings of this study revealed that there is no significant difference among the staff of FHA in their perception of poor funding as a major constraint to the provision of decent and affordable housing in A biu·a. The same finding applies with respect to the issue of comniercialization of the FHA; as well as difficulty in access to land as major constraints in the provision of housing. Furthermore, the study revealed that there is significant difference among the actors in their perception of frequent policy changes, corrupt nature of the contract system and housing delivery mechanism as major implementation constraints to the delivery of decent and affordable housing in Nigeria. Thus, FHA has been constrained to concentrate on the provision of high income - yielding housing in order to continue to meet its financial obligations in the absence of government funding; the commercialization of FHA has also become its major source of dilemma as it is neither free from government control, nor does it enjoy any support from the government. These findings support the thesis that the Nigerian housing policy in both content and implementation reflects the interests of the elites who pay only lip service to the we?fare of the masses. Consequently, the study recommends among others that Government should review its policy on commercialization of the FHA: and subsequently resuscitate its fimding both for personnel cost and housing projects. Secondly, it should grant the FHA a special status which will remove all encumbrances associated with obtaining land for housing development. The study finally posits that as in many countries vvhere widespread access to housing have been achieved for all categories of income groups; the Nigerian Government must play prominent role in the housing sector in addition to the private sector participation in housing delivery.