Entrenching Sustainable Cities and Communities through Public Private Partnership (PPP)

ESV Dang, Ibrahim Jandah

Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number eleven, and it is this goal that directly speaks to housing development.

For the World, especially the Less Developed Countries (LDCs) to achieve its target of sustainable cities and communities that are safe, resilient, and sustainable, the private sector through multilateral organizations like the International Finance Corporation, and the African Development Bank (AfDB) must up their games through Public Private Partnership (PPP).  The World population is on a geometric increase with over 8 billion on planet earth. To sustainably accommodate this growing population, adequate housing planning and provision must be taken as a priority by the government at all levels, and this must be done through multilateral financing with the private sector as a lead participant.

Simply put, multilateral financial institutions are international financial institutions chartered by two or more countries for the purpose of fostering economic growth and development especially in Less Developed Countries (LDCs) of the World. The African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Finance Corporation – the private sector arm of the World Bank (IFC) are good examples of multilateral financial institutions. Through their various intervention projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, these institutions have played catalytic roles in addressing the housing needs of most African countries, including Nigeria.  Their efforts in the mobilization of funds cum foreign direct investments for housing development in the housing sector through private sector participation should be deepened to meet the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of providing quality housing for the growing World communities by 2030.

Despite huge challenges ahead of the SDGs, including goal number eleven that is aimed at addressing the housing needs of the growing population, with concerted efforts through private sector participation, these goals are achievable. The government alone does not have the capacity, expertise, and well withal to address the housing problem facing the World populace today.

By many economic and developmental projections, multilateral financial institutions are expected to aggressively continue with their investment in African housing development. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are all aimed at addressing human development, including housing needs as captured in SDGs number eleven, which speaks to sustainable Cities and Communities.  Of course, the only way this particular SDG goal can be achieved is through Public Private Partnership (PPP), and a strong support and coordination from the multilateral institutions like the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Nigeria is a signatory to the United Nations (UN) SDGs, and in addressing the housing need of over 200 million Nigerians at the home front, the government at its relevant agencies like the Federal Mortgage Bank (FMB), Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), among others should strengthen their partnership efforts with the private sector developers in meeting the escalating housing problem in Nigeria.  The only way Nigeria and most signatories to the SDGs will meet the goals by 20230 is through a robust partnership with the private sector, and even allied professional bodies in the real estate space like the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV).

Affordability of the available houses has remained a growing concern over the years, even the houses being provided by the government through its agencies are priced beyond the reach of so many Nigerians who deserve to live healthy lives through quality, available, and affordable housing facilities.

On the way forward, the government should work with the private sector housing developers, investors, and providers in meeting the housing needs of Nigerians. Strong support and partnership should be sought from multilateral financial institutions.  All efforts being made in this regard should have the 2030 United Nations SDGs in mind.

ESV Dang, Ibrahim Jandah, a Registered Estate Surveyor and Valuer is the General Manager,Property Management at the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), he sent in this piece from Abuja.