MASS HOUSING PROVISION AS A TOOL FOR ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Housing

all

over the world is considered a basic necessity of man and an indispensable

element

of man’s civilization. The housing sector represents a significant proportion of a

country’s wealth and an acceptable index of the level and standard of living of a country. Its

linkage with building materials, the labour market and the financial sector makes the

provision of housing a major component of economic growth and an instrument for wealth

creation. The objective of this paper therefore is to examine how mass housing provision in

Nigeria can contribute to economic empowerment, employment opportunities and provide

sustainable living conditions for the population. It reviews the current housing scenario in

Nigeria and further discusses the place of mass housing in wealth creation and sustainable

development. The paper concludes that government at all levels should give priority to

productivity-driven initiatives such as mass housing development rather

than the

conventional consumer-driven measures of tackling poverty in Nigeria.