Assessing the Adequacy of Public Housing Infrastructures in Lagos, Nigeria

The provision of infrastructural amenities is an important ingredient in housing development and formal housing supply, thus adequate provision of housing facilities are regarded as critical facilitator for economic development and key to improving the quality of life in any community irrespective of size. While there is a plurality of housing issues, the problem of infrastructure in housing remains prominent especially when mass housing schemes are considered. The failure of some of these housing schemes has revealed that housing provision goes beyond the ordinary provision of shelter for needs of man. Hence, the need to approach the situation in a pragmatic way, with a focus on the infrastructural provision – an important aspect of housing that is often left to fate – in most common housing schemes in developing countries – like Nigeria. The aim of this study is to assess the adequacy of infrastructure provision in housing projects. This study adopts mixed method approach. A structured questionnaire was developed to harvest data from residents, developers and interested owners. Interviews were conducted with (e.g. 5) staff of development companies, professionals of the built environment and executives of community development association. The study underscores the need to consider relevant infrastructures for housing improvement and development in Nigeria with a view to ascertaining the sustainability of the housing environment and from this a conclusion would be drawn and recommendations in generating sustainable housing provision