Determinants of homeownership affordability in Nigeria’s urban housing markets

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate homeownership affordability in Nigeria’s urban housing market to establish the determinants of households’ affordability outcomes, and the nature of their impact.

Design/methodology/approach

The cross-sectional survey design was adopted. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of households selected through a stratified random technique across Kaduna State, the study area. The binary logistic regression was used to model the probability of homeownership affordability as a function of specified explanatory variables.

Findings

Household income, savings, construction period and education are determinants of homeownership affordability with positive impact. Conversely, household size, cost of land, building cost inflation, current rental housing expenditures, non-housing expenditures and building cost relative to income are determinants of affordability with negative impact.

Practical implications

The findings have the potential to provide a framework for formulation of policy measures to improve access to homeownership.

Social implications

Delayed access to homeownership places pressure on the rented sector with the potential for rental housing affordability problems. It is a deferment of the actualisation of a strong aspiration which is detrimental to individual and family well-being and stability.

Originality/value

The study extends the housing affordability debate to housing markets operating on informal financing where households build rather than buy their homes, an area hitherto not deeply explored. It provides empirical basis for problem-solving on housing affordability and can be a framework for housing policy reforms in Nigeria.

Citation

Nwuba, C.C., Kalu, I.U. and Umeh, J.A. (2015), "Determinants of homeownership affordability in Nigeria’s urban housing markets", International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 189-206. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHMA-06-2014-0020