Bassey Bassey, Executive Director of HipCity Innovation Centre, is a leading advocate for inclusive, sustainable, and people-centered urban development in Nigeria. In this interview, he emphasizes housing as a basic human right, highlights corruption in mass housing schemes, and calls for stronger community engagement in urban planning. He also discusses solutions like the digital land system and the need for affordable housing for youth, urging a shift toward a people-first development approach.
You said housing is not a luxury but a human right. How would you assess the Nigerian government and specifically the FCT administration’s role in providing decent and affordable housing for citizens?
Housing is a human right and a human need recognized in many constitutions, including Nigeria’s 1999 constitution as amended. The government, especially the FCT Administration, must understand that it owes its citizens access to decent and affordable houses. Unfortunately, government failure, often due to a lack of resources and political will, has shifted the responsibility to private developers. However, governments must remember that society is not equal — the poor will always exist, and their needs, particularly for housing, must be addressed. Cities need everyone — rich and poor — to function properly, as not every role can be filled by the wealthy.
There have been concerns about land revocation. Under what conditions can land titles be revoked?
Land revocation can happen under certain conditions, like refusal to pay ground rent or failure to develop the land within the stipulated time, change of land use. etc. Governments have the right to revoke land titles for overriding public interest, but leniency and diplomacy should always be applied. Proper notices must be issued, and due processes followed to ensure transparency and fairness.
Corruption has been cited as a major factor affecting housing schemes. Can you elaborate on this?
Indeed, corruption has crippled many housing schemes. Some government employees in the development sector, in collusion with others in the private sector, have manipulated the system to dupe people; for instance, issuing multiple land titles to several individuals or approving building plans in areas such as flood plains where no building should be allowed to stand. Many housing schemes across the country have been abandoned because of corruption at one point of such projects, or, forcing citizens to subscribe to mass housing that is not delivered on time.
What efforts are currently being made at the Federal level to improve housing, especially for young people?
At HipCity Innovation Centre, there’s a strong push for housing schemes tailored for young people. Since young people form the majority of the urban workforce, it’s essential to build houses they can afford. Unfortunately, most of the current housing stock consists of luxury apartments costing ₦60 million to ₦100 million, which are beyond young people’s reach. Therefore, we have advocated to the Honorable Minister of Housing and Urban Development to consider housing schemes tailored for young persons within cities across Nigeria.
You mentioned a “digital land system.” What is it about, and how will it help?
The Federal Government, in collaboration with the World Bank and other stakeholders, is launching a “digital land registration system” to digitize land titles. This move aims to digitally document all land ownership in Nigeria, cutting out middlemen who use fake land titles to dupe people. The digital system will improve transparency and reduce artificial inflation of property prices and corruption.
Urban and community engagement seem critical. How should governments involve communities in development projects?
Urban design should not be done solely by governments but with the participation of the people who will live in those cities. Many times, conflicts arise not because communities oppose development, but because of the government’s non-transparent, top-down approach. NGOs and community-based organizations, which have earned the trust of locals, can serve as mediators to bridge this gap, ensuring fair compensation and genuine engagement with affected communities.
Gishiri and similar cases have caused public outcry over relocations. What should be the right approach to relocation when communities are affected?
Relocation should be handled transparently and humanely. Communities should be properly engaged, compensation should be paid as stipulated, and there should be clear communication and mutual agreement. The lack of trust between the people and the government often exacerbates tensions. Bringing in trusted organizations to interface between the government and communities can foster better understanding and compromise.
Finally, what is the biggest challenge affecting mass housing development in Nigeria today?
The major challenge is the high cost of building materials, access to land, and the processes of regularization/approvals of building plans, etc sometimes administratively delayed and pushing individuals/investors to explore under-the-table deals. Corrupt practices have contributed to abandoned projects and unaffordable housing schemes. This corruption needs to be addressed urgently to revive genuine mass housing projects for the common people. Lastly, we need the political will and commiserate investment from the government in urban and housing development in Nigeria, we need to review old laws that are not relevant in today’s world and strengthen institutions and employees to do their job effectively.
