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By Daniel Adaji
The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) has warned against any move to confiscate vacant houses in Abuja, describing such action as a violation of property rights and a counterproductive response to Nigeria’s housing crisis.
Speaking on Monday at the 2025 International Valuation Day in Abuja, the President and Chairman of the NIESV Council, Victor Alonge, said while the growing attention to the large number of unoccupied homes in urban areas was welcome, forcibly taking over such properties would infringe on citizens’ rights and fail to address the root causes of the housing deficit.
“I’ve heard some government officials say they will confiscate any empty properties they find and allocate them to homeless people. That approach is simply wrong,” Alonge said.
“If I use my money to buy properties, there’s little the government can do without infringing on people’s rights,” he added.
Estimates suggest there are over 45,000 vacant houses in Abuja alone, even as Nigeria faces a housing deficit of more than 28 million units. This contradiction has sparked public frustration and calls for intervention—especially in upscale areas like Asokoro and Maitama, where luxury homes sit empty while millions of Nigerians live in informal settlements.
Alonge urged the government to adopt a more structured approach, modeled on best practices from developed countries like the United Kingdom.
“In the UK, for instance, they have a Financial Office Agency that collects data on property assets, determines rental values, and imposes higher taxes on unoccupied properties,” he said.
According to him, taxation and fiscal policies are more effective tools for discouraging property hoarding.
“There is a strong incentive in using taxation—through reform and restructuring—to encourage property owners not to leave houses empty. That is very, very important,” he said.
He added that most vacant properties are in high-end locations, far beyond the reach of average Nigerians.
“If you go to Nyanya, you’ll find very few empty homes. But compare that to Asokoro—there are far more vacant properties there. The people who need housing cannot afford to rent in Maitama.”
Alonge called for a coherent and enforceable national housing policy, noting that past administrations had failed to follow through on their promises.
“We need a proper national housing policy that addresses short-, medium-, and long-term housing challenges,” he said.
He also cited the UK’s Section 106 Agreement, which requires developers to allocate a portion of new housing projects for key workers such as teachers and nurses—even in affluent neighborhoods.
“If you go to Chelsea or Knightsbridge in London, you’ll find teachers and nurses living there. Not because they can afford market rates, but because of policy,” he said.
The NIESV president emphasised that housing development must serve both economic and social functions.
“Developers build to make money, but they must also contribute to the wider social development of the nation,” he said.
He reaffirmed the institution’s readiness to collaborate with the government in shaping effective housing and real estate policies.
“We are here—as far as housing and real estate policy is concerned—to be partners with the government,” he said.