The real housing revolution must happen in the states and local communities, where land administration, planning and much of the infrastructure required for housing are determined, the Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has said.

According to the group, this has become imperative since the Federal Government cannot build houses for every Nigerian.

HDAN, led by its Executive Director, Festus Adebayo, warned that Nigeria will continue to struggle with housing affordability if state governments continue to leave the responsibility largely to the Federal Government.

The group made this statement while commending the Adamawa State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, over the development of the 1,000-unit housing estate at Malkohi, Yola, describing the initiative as a strong example of how state governments can take greater responsibility for tackling Nigeria’s housing challenge

The association therefore challenged other governors to develop measurable housing programmes with clear annual delivery targets rather than treating housing as an occasional intervention.

The organisation also urged the Adamawa State Government to ensure that the Malkohi houses reach genuine end users through a transparent allocation process and affordable financing arrangements, including mortgages and rent-to-own options where feasible.

“Building 1,000 houses is important, but affordability will ultimately determine the impact. A house that the intended beneficiary cannot afford does not solve the housing problem,” the group comprising experts in the Nigerian housing sector said.

It further encouraged Fintiri to build on the project by establishing a sustainable housing delivery framework capable of attracting developers, mortgage institutions, cooperatives and institutional investors to deliver thousands of additional homes across Adamawa.

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According to the group, Nigeria needs healthy competition among governors in housing delivery, just as states compete in roads and other infrastructure.

“We want to see a Nigeria where governors are assessed not only by kilometres of roads constructed, but also by how many families they helped become homeowners and how effectively they created liveable communities. Adamawa has taken an important step, and other states should learn from it,” the group stated.

HDAN said the biggest lesson from Adamawa is that Nigeria cannot solve its housing problem from Abuja alone. “Every governor must become a major driver of housing delivery in his or her state,” noting that the Adamawa initiative is particularly significant because attention has also been given to essential infrastructure such as water and electricity.

This reinforces HDAN’s longstanding position that housing must be treated as a complete system and not merely as the construction of houses.

“Governor Fintiri deserves commendation for demonstrating that states can take practical steps to increase housing supply. We need more governors to move housing from political promises to actual delivery,” the group stated.

According to the group, the 1,000-unit project provides important lessons for Nigeria’s 36 states; governments must make land available for housing, reduce bureaucratic barriers to development, provide supporting infrastructure, mobilise private-sector capital and create realistic pathways to homeownership for ordinary citizens