FG to unveil housing data centre December

The Federal Government has announced plans to make the long-awaited National Housing Data Centre fully operational by December.

In a statement, it was disclosed that this move is aimed at transforming Nigeria’s housing and real estate policy landscape through credible, evidence-based data.

Led by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the initiative unites public and private stakeholders to standardise housing data, monitor deficit reduction efforts, and guide policy and investment decisions.

The Chairman of the Technical Committee of the National Housing Data Programme, Dr Taofeeq Olatinwo, told The Guardian that the NHDC will operate as a federated system, allowing states, ministries, departments, and agencies to feed data at regular intervals into a unified national platform.

This approach aims to ensure both state-level disaggregation and national coordination, enabling the government to identify housing gaps, affordability trends, and emerging urban patterns.

“The target is for the NHDC to go live in December 2025. It will be a federated system with inputs from states, MDAs, and private developers at defined frequencies, in line with global standards,” he said.

To ensure international credibility, the NHDC is being designed using global housing data standards and definitions, working closely with development partners such as the World Bank, the African Union for Housing Finance, the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa, and HOFINET.These organisations are providing technical support to align Nigeria’s data architecture with accepted indicators, key performance metrics, and reporting dashboards used globally.

The centre will track housing stock, flow (new builds, demolitions), and use (occupancy, abandonment), capturing seven dimensions of Nigeria’s housing deficit for a holistic ecosystem overview.

He noted, “The NHDC will evolve into a professionally run Special Purpose Vehicle with skilled personnel responsible for data validation, quality assurance, and regular updates. Frequency and refresh standards have been defined using global benchmarks to ensure integrity and reliability.

“Unlike past initiatives restricted to institutional users, the NHDC will be open to public access, allowing policymakers, investors, researchers, and citizens to view housing data through an online dashboard. The portal, built on the existing Housing Market Information Portal hosted by the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company, will integrate inputs from the National Bureau of Statistics, National Population Commission, Central Bank of Nigeria, and other agencies.

“The ministry has also begun engaging state governments to ensure nationwide participation. Six states were consulted in July 2025, forming the foundation for broader engagement across all 36 states. We are engaging with states, local governments, and the private sector to encourage full participation. Our goal is to make the NHDC a collaborative data ecosystem, not just a federal repository.”

The NHDC project is supported by a Joint Committee comprising representatives from leading housing and finance institutions, including the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company, National Bureau of Statistics, National Population Commission, Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, and Federal Housing Authority.

Others are Family Homes Funds Limited, Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria, Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria, Mortgage Bankers Association of Nigeria, Housing Development Advocacy Network, and The Homes Group.