Afriland Properties champions collaborative action to unlock affordable housing

Afriland Properties Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with governments, investors and industry stakeholders to advance sustainable urban development, expand access to quality housing and deliver real estate solutions that create lasting value.

Speaking during a high-level panel session at the 20th Africa International Housing Show (AIHS) on “Housing Models for the Informal Sector and the Ecosystem Changes Required to Unlock Affordable Housing,” Azubike Emodi, managing director/chief executive officer, Afriland Properties Plc called for a comprehensive overhaul of the affordable housing ecosystem.

He stated that sustainable housing delivery will only become achievable through coordinated action by governments, financiers, developers and policymakers.

The session brought together leading housing experts and policymakers from across Africa, including Stephen Wanjala, Executive Director, Housing and Development Finance Africa, Kenya; Jane Lumumba, UN-Habitat Kenya; Kamau Kamande, Chairman, National Cooperative Housing Union, Kenya; Hon. Florence Kataeka Geegbae, Managing Director, National Housing Authority, Republic of Liberia, among others.

Emodi noted that the affordable housing conversation must evolve beyond expectations placed solely on developers and instead focus on creating an enabling ecosystem that makes affordable housing commercially viable. According to him, meaningful progress can only be achieved by addressing the housing challenge from every angle across the value chain.

He stated, “The real shift starts with bringing everyone into the housing conversation because we keep hitting this problem from one end while the other stays unresolved. We must address it holistically, from three angles: cheaper builds, policy reform and financing options. That’s what gives developers a fair playing field to build on.”

Emodi further emphasised that affordable housing must ultimately be defined by the needs and realities of its intended beneficiaries.

He said, “Homes can only be considered truly affordable when they align with the purchasing power and aspirations of the people they are designed to serve. While developers are ready to do more, rising construction costs, high financing costs, infrastructure deficits and regulatory bottlenecks continue to constrain large-scale delivery.”

Now in its 20th edition, the Africa International Housing Show remains one of the continent’s foremost platforms for advancing dialogue on housing, urban development, investment and public-private collaboration, bringing together key stakeholders committed to addressing Africa’s housing deficit.