A Systematic Review of Low-Income Earners’ Housing Challenges and Government Interventions: A Quantitative Study in Nigeria

Abstract

Housing inadequacy remains one of the most persistent socio-economic challenges confronting low-income earners in Nigeria despite decades of government intervention programmes and policy reforms. This study quantitatively examines the housing challenges facing low-income earners and evaluates the effectiveness of government interventions in improving affordable housing accessibility in Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, while data were collected from 502 respondents comprising civil servants, artisans, traders, transport workers, and informal sector employees across selected urban centres in Nigeria. Data collection was conducted using structured questionnaires, while descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis were employed for data analysis using SPSS Version 29. Findings revealed that rising rental costs, inflation, weak mortgage systems, high building material costs, unemployment, and bureaucratic land administration processes significantly contribute to housing inaccessibility among low-income earners. The study further established that although government interventions through institutions such as the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Housing Authority have moderately improved awareness of affordable housing schemes, implementation inefficiencies, corruption, poor targeting mechanisms, and inadequate infrastructure continue to limit their effectiveness. Regression analysis showed a significant relationship between government housing interventions and housing accessibility, although the impact remains constrained by broader socio-economic and institutional factors. The study concludes that sustainable housing delivery for low-income earners in Nigeria requires integrated policy reforms, affordable mortgage financing systems, improved urban planning, and stronger institutional accountability. The paper contributes to housing policy discourse by providing empirical evidence on the interaction between housing challenges and intervention strategies within the Nigerian context.