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Many Nigerian families are grappling with severe financial strain as housing costs continue to soar, with rent now consuming as much as 70 per cent of their monthly income, a new report by the State of Lagos Housing Market, Volume 3, has stated. It stated, “Wages remain stagnant while rents consume 50-70 per cent of income, increasing sharply, reducing affordability, and making home ownership unattainable. Speculators buy land to resell, pushing real users out and inflating prices. Even remote areas see high land prices due to anticipated development. “Legalising land ownership is costly and complex. Most people can’t access mortgages, and down payment requirements are exclusionary. Developers focus on luxury housing due to better returns and a lack of incentives to build affordably. Providing developers with incentives to invest in affordable housing will boost supply “Rent hikes are arbitrary and unregulated, worsening housing insecurity. The growth in informal settlements due to a lack of formal affordable options and the regulation of rent is unsettling. Affordable housing is far from jobs, leading to high commuting costs and long hours. Low-cost homes often lack basic services and infrastructure, compromising livability.” According to the report, the interview responses from residents revealed a complex and interconnected web of challenges undermining access to affordable housing in Lagos. “These findings demonstrate that the housing crisis is not the result of a single factor but rather the interaction of economic stagnation, structural market failures, regulatory weaknesses, and socio-spatial inequalities. “One of the most striking themes is the gap between income and housing costs. Wage stagnation, juxtaposed with rising rents, leaves a growing number of residents priced out of both rental and ownership markets. Respondents highlighted that even in the outskirts of the city, rents are escalating beyond the means of low-and middle-income earners, with some households spending up to 70 per cent of their income on housing, a level of burden that far exceeds globally accepted standards for affordability. “Compounding this issue are barriers to construction, where inflation and skyrocketing material costs render new developments financially unfeasible, especially for small and medium-scale builders who traditionally cater to the middle class. The inability to complete or initiate affordable housing projects reduces the supply of livable units, reinforcing the price surge in the existing market. “The land market dysfunction further exacerbates the problem. Speculation has driven up land prices even in remote areas, deterring genuine homebuilders. This behaviour inflates land values artificially and pushes ownership further out of reach for average citizens, creating a distorted market driven more by investment potential than shelter needs.” The State of Lagos Housing Market – 3rd Edition, published by the Roland Igbinoba Real Foundation for Housing and Urban Development. The first and second editions were published in 2009 and 2016, respectively.

The police have confirmed the death of a 51-year-old woman, Mrs Emmanuel Love Onuora, who reportedly died while onboard a commercial tricycle in Aba, Abia State. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, came to public attention after her photograph circulated on Facebook, with some commenters identifying her as “Aunty Love,” a teacher at a popular school in Aba. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka, confirmed the development to our correspondent on Thursday. According to Chinaka, the deceased had boarded a tricycle operated by one Mr Okechukwu Sunday, a native of Anambra State but resident in Aba, for a regular trip along the Aba Road. While on the journey, PUNCH Metro learnt that another passenger flagged down the tricycle to join. However, both the rider and the second passenger soon noticed that Mrs Onuora had become unresponsive. “The tricycle rider reported the incident to the Area Commander in Aba,” Chinaka said. “Police officers were deployed to the scene, and the woman was taken to St. Francis Hospital, where she was confirmed dead.” The police spokesperson said the woman’s body had been deposited at the mortuary and that an investigation into the matter was ongoing. “The crime scene has been visited, and an investigation is still ongoing,” she concluded. PUNCH Metro had on July 22, 2024, reported that a yet-to-be-identified woman died in a tricycle inside a moving transit at Isheri, Idimu area of Lagos State. The woman had boarded the tricycle along Isheri-Igando Road, heading towards the Isheri end of the area. When the tricycle rider notified her of arriving at her destination, she didn’t respond. The rider was shocked to discover that she was motionless, revealing that she had passed away.

A microfinance bank, ASHA Microfinance Bank, on Thursday, held a medical outreach and sanitation at the Oyigbo market in Lagos State as part of its ‘CLEAN-A-MARKET’ campaign. The exercise, which was held at the market square, involved participants getting tested for blood pressure and sugar level tests, among others. It also involved the cleaning of waste by members of the microfinance bank team alongside some members of the market. Speaking to PUNCH Metro at the event, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of ASHA, Funmilola Paseda, disclosed that the initiative was aimed at promoting environmental hygiene, public health awareness, and encouraging active participation from traders in the marketplace. She explained that part of their community efforts is the Clean a Market Initiative, which involves sweeping the market and supporting traders with health checks such as blood pressure and temperature monitoring. “We are a bank, as you know, and we support women’s empowerment. We encourage and promote financial inclusion. We also create time to support our environment. “We are here to support with cleaning the environment, with sweeping, as you have seen us do since morning. “Apart from that, we are also here to help the traders look at the status of their health,” Paseda said. She noted that beyond showing concerns for the traders, the firm also offered them loans to support their businesses. “We’ve provided what we call a borehole system to major communities where we operate, so they have access to clean water,” she added. A beneficiary who identified herself simply as Dasola commended the bank for the gesture, stressing that the initiative had further encouraged them to maintain cleanliness in the market. She said, “They’ve come to help us clean the market. They’re trying, it is nice, and we’re happy. We, the traders, clean the market every morning before sales, but today, they’ve helped us make it cleaner. With the donation, our market will be cleaner.” Another trader in the market noted, “It’s very good and I love it. God will bless them, promote them, and prosper them. The highlight of the campaign included the donation of a refuse bin, brooms, aprons, and umbrella stands to the market. PUNCH Metro reported on Monday that the Redeemed Christian Church of God, The Calvary Zone, Oshodi, carried out its annual medical outreach that benefited about 500 residents over the weekend.