Factors of affordability in housing in the city of Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Housing affordability remain a challenge in urban centres around the world. The increasing housing demand in Nigerian urban centres resulted in rising prices of houses leading to widespread of urban slums and squatters, poor quality housing and unsanitary environments. Affordable housings are available in the market, but affordability may no longer relate directly to quick supply, high density or low quality houses. Criteria of affordable houses for better living quality to users of different socio-economic status is not easily defined. Previous studies have failed to address this aspect in society with unequal affluence especially in Nigeria. This study aimed to address this gap through users’ perspective in redefining improved and pragmatic set of criteria for affordable houses. Three objectives were developed. The first measured the effects of users’ socio-economic status on current affordable housing satisfaction. The second determined the expected tangible and intangible criteria of affordable houses. The final objective developed a grounded theory to suggest ways in achieving expected criteria for policy making. The study employed a stratified random sampling in Ibadan urban centre among 494 respondents. In addition, 27 participants were selected through purposive sampling for interview. Questionnaire, informal interview and photographs were used for data collection. Statistical methods were performed with the use of SPSS and AMOS software to analyse quantitative data to achieve Objectives One and Two. The qualitative data was transcribed and theme coded with the aid of QSR-NVivo10. Domain Analysis and Thematic Network analysis helped basic themes to converge to higher order themes to achieve Objective Three. The findings revealed that the changing dynamics of socio-economic status of users, creates awareness on facilities to be associated with affordable houses and not satisfied with anything less. The owners need to be more aware that tenant users are being more concerned about the physical tangible and intangible features related to housing. They need to improve the housing quality, otherwise, overall quality of a neighbourhood and the city at large will be in serious jeopardy. Furthermore, the finding also revealed that users are not being given proper recognition in housing policy making. Users are interested to be part of the policy making process of housing delivery. This study implied that users’ inclusion in certain stages will contribute to power sharing among housing policy makers and housing users. This will help in achieving affordable housing delivery.