Experts have called for a shift towards inclusive housing development that moves growth away from congested city centres to well-planned regional corridors anchored on infrastructure and coordinated land-use planning.
Speaking at this year’s Wemabod Annual Real Estate Outlook, themed: ‘Unlocking Land and Infrastructure for Inclusive Housing’, the Managing Director of Wemabod Limited, Bashir Oladunni, said such regional corridors driven by transport networks, economic activity and integrated planning offer a sustainable pathway for addressing Nigeria’s housing and urbanisation challenges.
“These corridors are anchored by transport infrastructure, economic activity and coordinated land-use planning. This is precisely the development logic that regional development commissions were established to deliver,” he said.
Oladunni noted that the approach opens new opportunities for developers and investors through infrastructure-backed, master-planned communities, while supporting broader economic objectives.
“For government, it aligns housing with job creation and balanced regional growth. For financiers, it creates bankable, scalable housing pipelines supported by institutional governance,” he explained.
He stressed that inclusive housing cannot be delivered by a single stakeholder, calling for deeper collaboration across government, regional development institutions, the private sector, financiers, professionals and host communities.
“At Wemabod Limited, we strongly believe that inclusive housing requires collaboration. No single actor can deliver it alone,” Oladunni said.
According to him, the outlook’s theme reflects a shift from merely managing challenges to building enduring solutions. “It recognises that housing is not just a social obligation, but a foundation for economic productivity, social stability and sustainable urban growth,” he added.
Oladunni further explained that regional development commissions were established to unlock regional potential, coordinate infrastructure and drive development beyond administrative boundaries.
“Without accessible and properly titled land, housing remains expensive. Without enabling infrastructure such as roads, rail, power, water and social services, housing cannot scale, and cities cannot thrive,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Group Chairman of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Bimbo Ashiru, described housing as central to economic inclusion, urban productivity, social stability and intergenerational equity.
“While demand continues to rise, supply remains constrained by land accessibility challenges, infrastructure deficits, public sector inefficiencies and institutional fragmentation. These challenges are policy-driven and require solutions coordinated across both the public and private sectors,” Ashiru said.
He called for reforms in land administration, improved titling systems, reduced transaction inefficiencies and the restoration of confidence in land tenure.
“Without unlocking infrastructure, the foundational networks, housing cannot be affordable. Inclusive housing also challenges us to move beyond aspirational rhetoric to delivery models that work for low- and middle-income Nigerians, not just the top end of the market,” he added.
In his remarks, the Group Managing Director of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Abdulrahman Yinusa, said the company remains committed to real estate development that delivers long-term social and economic value beyond commercial returns.
“Wemabod’s consistent focus on urban regeneration, housing development and thought leadership aligns strongly with the Group’s broader mandate of creating shared prosperity and supporting sustainable development across the South-West and Nigeria at large,” Yinusa said.
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