The Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has called for the introduction of a nationwide rent-to-own housing programme to enable low- and middle-income Nigerians to become homeowners without the burden of substantial upfront payments.
The organisation made the call while commending Family Homes Funds Limited (FHFL) for its housing support initiatives targeting widows and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, describing the interventions as important steps towards improving housing accessibility and promoting social inclusion.
In a press release issued in Abuja and signed by its Executive Director, Festus Adebayo, HDAN urged Family Homes Funds and other relevant government institutions to expand their interventions through a structured nationwide rent-to-own scheme.
According to the organisation, millions of working Nigerians who consistently pay rent remain unable to purchase homes because of limited access to mortgages, high interest rates and demanding equity contribution requirements.
It explained that a well-designed rent-to-own programme could bridge the gap between renting and homeownership by allowing eligible households to occupy properties while making scheduled payments towards eventual ownership.
HDAN also charged the board and management of Family Homes Funds to intensify efforts towards achieving the fundamental objectives for which the institution was established, particularly expanding access to affordable housing for low-income Nigerians.
The organisation stressed that the Fund must move beyond isolated housing interventions to implement sustainable, large-scale and measurable housing delivery programmes that address the needs of ordinary Nigerians.
It urged the board and management to prioritise innovative housing finance solutions, stronger partnerships with state governments and private developers, and practical rent-to-own initiatives that would translate the Fund’s mandate into tangible homeownership opportunities.
HDAN further called for transparent beneficiary selection, affordable repayment arrangements, appropriate consumer protections and sustainable long-term financing to ensure that such programmes reach Nigerians who genuinely need them.
“The ultimate objective of housing intervention should not simply be to build houses, but to create realistic pathways through which ordinary Nigerians can afford, occupy and eventually own decent homes,” the organisation said.
It added that expanding access to homeownership would strengthen household financial security, promote social stability and contribute to national economic development.
HDAN therefore urged Family Homes Funds, the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, mortgage institutions, state governments and private developers to deepen collaboration towards establishing scalable rent-to-own housing opportunities across Nigeria.
The Housing Development Advocacy Network is a civil society organisation committed to promoting affordable housing, sustainable urban development, housing policy reforms and improved access to homeownership in Nigeria.
