Experts project positive outlook for Nigeria’s mortgage market

Although, mortgage financing has continued to be a source of worry for operators in the nation’s housing delivery, investors and industry players have projected a positive future. Currently, Nigeria’s mortgage banks charge between 19 and 24 per cent. And this could go higher, depending on the risk volume, which has affected the real estate’s potential as a goldmine for investors….

Experts canvass integrated solid waste management

Environmentalists have called for integrated approach in management of e-waste and other consumer products containing Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers, PBDEs to ensure sustainability.Speaking at the 2nd Abuja Waste Summit organised by Sustainable Africa Waste Initiative, SAWI, they explained that “exposure to PBDEs is of concern because they are associated with negative health effects, including neurotoxin and reproductive effects, cancer, impacts on…

Experts predict further dip in real estate market

A combination of heightened uncertainty and eroding affordability is expected to cut into demand and contribute to a weaker real estate market in 2019, and 2018 harsh economic realities made the sector to underperform in terms of yield and returns, according to industry experts. While the economy remains weak, demographic fundamentals remain strong, lack of clear policy in 2018 impacted…

Environmentalists demand restoration of mangroves, reclamation of desert

Environmentalists have called for more efforts to restore the country’s depleting mangrove as well as the reclamation of the desert. According to them, Nigeria has one-third of the entire mangroves in Africa but it is currently being degraded by human activities while the country is also losing about 351,000 hectares of its land mass to desert conditions annually. The Nigerian…

‘How to unlock real estate potentials for national development’

Following increasing growth in Nigeria’s low and middle income population, stakeholders have called for the unlocking of the real estate sector to drive national development. They said with right reforms and political will, the sector will spearhead a momentous growth because of high demands of housing occasioned by  the increase in working age population. The stakeholders, who spoke at the 4th…

World Bank, others throw up competition for architects in low-cost housing

Following increase in natural disasters that have ravaged communities around the globe, a new search for architectural designs that will withstand such catastrophe has begun in earnest. The World Bank, UN-Habitat, Build Academy, Airbnb, and Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery are promoting the competition that majorly targets architects around the world to develop designs for resilient, modular and affordable homes that…

Concerns over deplorable facilities in estates

Stakeholders are worried about the poor state of facilities in federal government/state owned housing estates in the country, which are suffering from negligence and lack of maintenance. Maintenance of existing housing stock has been in the front burner without any concrete action or blueprint by the authorities. For instance, the Nigerian Housing Policy (NHP) didn’t provide for the maintenance to…

‘Why foreign investors will not commit huge capital to housing’

An international real estate expert, Mr. Bill Endsley has revealed that investors would not commit huge capital to the housing industry due to risks involved in investment and lack of transparency in transactions. To boost investment in the country, he suggested that the federal government should put in place risk mitigating measures for institutional foreign investors in the housing market….

‘Absence of national property databank impeding investment’

The lack of market information with which to benchmark valuations or support investment decisions is affecting prospective investors from committing funds to the real estate sector. The severity of situation has continued to remain a black box within the industry. While some firms have established own proprietary data and others have started to publish useful market research, which experts say,…

Town planners chart strategies to curb urban migration

As a means to tame urban migration, town planners have advocated for efficient planning across all levels in the country. They say, the myriads of woes facing Nigerian cities could also be tackled through a more dynamic and innovative strategy and plans for basic infrastructure for the rural residents as well as adjoining settlements that are closer to major city…