Constraints of affordable housing through cooperative societies in tertiary institutions in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study evaluated the different constraints of affordable housing and the different strategies employed by cooperative housing societies in tertiary institutions in Lagos State to ameliorate these constraints. Data for the study were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. A set of questionnaire were designed. The questionnaire targeted the executives of the cooperative societies in the tertiary institutions in Lagos state and was administered using simple random sampling technique on executives of the cooperative societies in the tertiary institutions. A total of 50 executives of cooperative societies in the tertiary institutions in Lagos state were selected for questionnaire administration. Information were obtained on respondents’ profile, type of cooperative societies, activities of the cooperative societies, methods of housing provision and the challenges faced by the cooperative societies in housing provision. Information was obtained from secondary data including: journals, publications and internet materials.  Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques of data analysis were employed. Results revealed that the provision of general loans, provision of housing construction loan for members, provision of specific loans for the purchase of land, provision of special loans for renovation of existing buildings and collective purchase of land for building construction were the most dominant strategies adopted by the cooperative societies in the provision of affordable housing for their members in the study area. Result also revealed that cost of materials of construction and unnecessary bureaucracy were the most significant constraints to affordable housing provision by the cooperative societies in the study area. The study concluded that non availability of affordable housing is an issue across the state irrespective of the class and people with the low income earners facing the problem the most. The study recommended that dedicated recurrent funding by the government could systematically address the issue.  Key words: Affordable housing, cooperative societies, housing, housing constraint, Lagos State, tertiary institutions.