… Land Reforms, Green Housing and Slum Upgrading Among Other Key Highlights
As the 19th Africa International Housing Show (AIHS) enters Day 2 participants can expect a full schedule of presentations, plenary, and roundtables set to tackle some of the most pressing issues in Africa’s housing and construction sector.
Still on the theme: “Re-imagining Housing Through Innovation, Collaboration, and Policy,” Day 2 will delve deeper into design and construction innovations, financing solutions, gender inclusivity in housing, and critical issues such as land reforms, green housing, and slum upgrading.
The day will open with presentations exploring Nigeria’s First Industrial Policy and its impact on industrialised building systems in Africa, led by Prof. Olumide Olusanya from the University of Lagos.
He will offer insights on how local procurement directives can shape affordable housing delivery across the continent. This will be followed by real estate as a catalyst for industrial growth, with Olayinka Braimoh, CEO of Hall 7 Real Estate, examining how investment and innovation can unlock urban transformation.
Also, Akintola Akinleye, Co-Founder and CEO of FiveSeven Construction, will challenge participants to rethink design and construction methods to lower housing costs. Engr. Felix Ogbe, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board, will underscore the role of local content as a driver for the new industrial policy, presenting success stories that could inspire greater domestic production in the housing sector.
The conversation will then shift to financing, a major focus as Debra Erb, Founder of DLE Advisors, LLC, leads a plenary session on housing finance for Africa’s next 200 million people. This session will include a high-level panel with housing reform leaders, mortgage bank CEOs, and private sector investors, who will discuss strategies for scaling affordable housing finance using both local and global models.
In the afternoon, women will take centre stage with the roundtable session “She Builds Africa: Reimagining Housing Through a Gendered Lens.” This will feature leading female voices from Africa and Asia, including Dr. Chii Akporji, Chairperson of Shelter Afrique Development Bank; Dao Harrison, Senior Housing Specialist at the World Bank; and other great women in the sector. Speakers will share perspectives on how women are reshaping policy, finance, innovation, and design in the housing sector. The session will also spotlight women-led startups in the green economy and technology sectors, alongside discussions on co-investing and building wealth together through housing.
Breakout sessions will run concurrently, addressing critical structural issues in Africa’s housing ecosystem. Session one will focus on land reforms, featuring presentations by Surveyor Yahaya Nadu Mohammed, Chairman of the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reforms, and housing commissioners from Lagos, Kwara, Kaduna, Ogun, and Cross River States.
These discussions will centre on how improved land titling and administration can unlock capital and drive housing investments. Another breakout will examine green financing for affordable housing, with Prof. Charles Inyangete of Innovative Risk & Investment Solutions Limited leading conversations on cost-effective ways to embed sustainability in construction. A third session will address slum upgrading through local innovation and ownership, led by Professor Timothy Gbenga Nubi of the University of Lagos, while others will explore how small-scale building materials manufacturers can access financing and scale production to be led Niyi Akinlusi, Managing Director, Lekki Worldwide Investments Limited (LWIL).
Day 2 promises to be a blend of high-level thought leadership, practical solutions, and collaborative problem-solving. With topics ranging from industrial policies and local manufacturing to gender inclusivity, climate-smart construction, and urban renewal, participants can expect a day rich in ideas and strategies to shape the future of Africa’s housing and construction industry.
