Housing investment as a critical Covid-19 resilience and recovery strategy for Nigeria

As economies across Africa grapple with the health and lockdown effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on their populations and businesses, the housing sector offers an opportunity to overcome key risk issues while contributing towards economic recovery and long term resilience.  Through its mobilisation of the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy, and its demand for labour, housing – both construction and rental – has a very real impact on the economy.  The Housing Economic Value Chain analysis of Nigeria found that in 2018, housing construction contributed 3.2% to GDP and supported the employment of about 1,144,000 people (including both formally and informally employed).  The residential rental sector in Nigeria contributed another 3.9% to GDP.

This presentation considers the potential housing sector responses that might be offered to the challenges raised by Covid-19.  It was given at the 14th Abuja International Housing Show, held virtually, online, from 21-24 July 2020.