‘Rising urban pressure in property worrisome’
Urban planning and real estate experts are concerned about mounting pressure on Nigeria’s property market. They warned that urbanisation, population growth, and infrastructure deficits are intensifying challenges in major cities.
Urban planning and real estate experts are concerned about mounting pressure on Nigeria’s property market.
They warned that urbanisation, population growth, and infrastructure deficits are intensifying challenges in major cities.
The experts spoke at Professional Development Workshop of Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria, on “Mastering Urban Property Market Dynamics.”
They noted Nigeria’s metropolitan centres; Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, are experiencing strain driven by demographic expansion, spatial growth, and fierce competition for land.
Chair of Lagos State Branch, Bello Akinwale said the fast-changing urban environment demands continuous professional development and strategic engagement to address emerging realities.
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He described the workshop as a critical platform for equipping town planning professionals with the tools needed to manage complex urban systems, stressing that planners play a central role in shaping “sustainable, functional, and resilient communities.”
Also speaking, ATOPCON President, Hakeem Badejo, said Nigeria’s urban landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, with market forces such as supply and demand, speculative investments, and infrastructure gaps now directly influencing whether cities thrive or decline.
“The forces of urban property markets are no longer abstract concepts; they determine the economic resilience of our cities,” he said, adding that planners must understand where demand is outpacing supply and where infrastructure expansion is driving growth.
He warned that failure to properly guide investment decisions could expose investors to risks such as flooding, zoning downgrades, and title disputes, noting that unchecked speculation is contributing to market instability.
Data presented at the workshop highlighted the scale of the challenge. Nigeria currently faces a housing deficit of over 22 million units, while demand for housing continues to grow at an estimated 4.3 per cent annually.
The situation is further compounded by macroeconomic pressures, including rising inflation, high construction costs, and expensive mortgage rates, which have made home ownership increasingly inaccessible for many Nigerians.
Experts also pointed to structural inefficiencies in land administration, particularly delays in obtaining statutory approvals such as Certificates of Occupancy and Governor’s Consent, which often push many transactions into the informal sector.
The National President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Dr Ogbonna Chime, cautioned against leaving property market dynamics entirely to market forces, warning that such an approach could erode cultural heritage and disrupt planned urban development.
He stressed the need for holistic planning frameworks, noting that uncoordinated changes in land use, often driven by market pressure, could undermine long-term sustainability.
Participants at the workshop further identified infrastructure deficits as a major driver of urban pressure, explaining that areas with improved road networks, transport systems, and utilities tend to experience rapid increases in land value, often pricing out low- and middle-income residents.
They also highlighted the growing role of data analytics and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in managing urban growth, noting that modern planning requires data-driven decision-making to effectively respond to changing market conditions.
Despite the challenges, stakeholders acknowledged that Nigeria’s property market remains one of the most vibrant in Africa, driven by urban expansion, economic activity, and investment inflows.
However, they warned that without coordinated planning, improved infrastructure, and regulatory reforms, the increasing pressure on urban property markets could worsen housing shortages, deepen inequality, and strain already overstretched city systems.
The experts called for stronger collaboration between government, planners, and private sector players to ensure that urban growth is properly managed and that cities remain livable, inclusive, and economically viable.
