GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT Housing means more than just a shelter. It is one of the most rudimentary human needs; one of the best indications of a person's standard of living and of his or her place in society; provides privacy for relaxation and facilities, full development of family life. The performance of the housing sector is one of the yardsticks by which the health of a nation is measured. Hence, good housing is very necessary to the welfare, survival and health of individuals, community and nations. The Nigerian Housing policies which have been directed in actualizing the goal of available and affordable housing for all have largely been unrealistic, unattainable and ineffective. This is because majority of the people are low income earners who cannot afford housing under the various program, as well as high cost of capital. It has also been besieged by shortcomings like ever-increasing costs of construction and building materials, homelessness, weak institutional frameworks for housing delivery, administrative bottlenecks in plan approval and collection of certificates of occupancy, program monitoring as well as review. Therefore, the government should create formidable national housing policies or plans with a proper and practical focus on the development of the housing sector. Also, the government should also provide infrastructure, housing maintenance, access to land building material and finance as well as the encouragement of insurance companies in building and selling of houses at affordable prices. KEYWORDS: Housing Policy, Affordability, Exposition, Programs, Nigeria