Analysis of the Challenges Facing Property Developers in Jos, Plateau State

This study analyses the key challenges confronting property developers operating in Jos, Plateau State, North Central Nigeria, a city with distinctive market characteristics arising from its highland climate, religious demographic diversity, history of communal conflict, and emerging commercial recovery trajectory. Property development in Jos presents unique opportunities given its climate and food security advantages as an agricultural hub, but significant challenges have constrained investment flows into the formal property market. The study employs a qualitative research design, conducting semi-structured interviews with 25 active property developers, 10 construction contractors, and 15 estate surveyors in Jos North and Jos South Local Government Areas. Interview themes covered development project experience, regulatory interaction, security concerns, financing access, community relations, and market demand assessment. Findings identify security uncertainty as the most significant single challenge, with developers reporting difficulty securing construction finance and insurance due to perceived conflict risk. Land documentation challenges are acute, with complex layers of customary tenure and government allocations creating title uncertainty in many development zones. Building material transportation costs are elevated due to road conditions and security risks along supply routes. Community opposition to new developments, particularly across religious community boundaries, introduces social risk beyond regulatory procedures. Recommendations include establishing a property development guarantee fund for Jos to reduce security-related investor risk, accelerating the Plateau State land documentation regularisation programme, and creating a multifaith developer-community liaison committee. Keywords: property development, challenges, Jos, Plateau State, urban real estate.