Afriland Properties Champions Collaborative Action to Unlock Affordable Housing

Kayode Tokede

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Afriland Properties Plc, Azubike Emodi, has reaffirmed the Company’s 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,” Emodi called for a comprehensive overhaul of the affordable housing ecosystem, stating that sustainable housing delivery will only become achievable through coordinated action by governments, financiers, developers and policymakers.

He 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.”