Assessment of Housing Affordability Strategies for Low-Income Earners in Kano Metropolis, North West Nigeria

Housing affordability for low-income earners in Kano metropolis, North West Nigeria's largest urban centre, is a persistent challenge that requires professional assessment to identify workable policy and programme interventions. This study assessed the current housing affordability situation and evaluated the effectiveness of existing and proposed affordability strategies for low-income earners in Kano metropolis. Quantitative data on income distribution, rent levels, and housing costs were collected from 200 low-income households (defined as monthly income below 50,000 Naira) in Fagge, Kano Municipal, and Gwale Local Government Areas. Cost data from 20 housing developers and the Kano State Housing Corporation were also collected. Affordability was measured by the housing cost-to-income ratio and the residual income method. Strategies evaluated included public rental housing, cooperative housing, incremental building programmes, and rental voucher schemes. Results showed that the mean housing cost-to-income ratio for low-income households was 61%, more than double the internationally accepted affordability threshold of 30%. Public housing supply met less than 5% of estimated low-income housing demand in Kano metropolis. Cooperative housing showed the most positive affordability outcomes among pilot programmes assessed. Incremental building was the dominant actual practice, with 67% of low-income homeowners building room by room over multiple years. The study recommends a Kano State Low-Income Housing Fund supporting cooperative and incremental building with subsidised materials and technical assistance.

Keywords: housing affordability, low-income housing, Kano metropolis, housing policy, cooperative housing