Looking West: Nigeria’s Alaro City promises Africa’s urban future

West Africa’ economic growth will continue being sluggish this year as the region’s 15 economies continue witnessing tepid growth unless things change. Despite this projection, Nigeria, which is by far the largest economy in the region, has been investing in sectors that are attracting investors from across the continent and beyond. As the world moves into work and live city models, Nigeria has not been left behind and it can only get better for Africa’s most populous nation. And with 196 million people living in the country going by 2018 estimates, accommodating these numbers means that the country has to be innovative in how it provides housing as well as create jobs. According to the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (CAHF), housing remains a perennial problem in Nigeria. With projections that the country’s population will surge to 263 million by 2038, providing housing for Nigerians needs an emergency response. To address the looming housing crisis, the government has taken the initiative to create the Family Homes Fund (FHF) which is a public-private partnership (PPP) between the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). Nigeria’s federal government is investing N500 billion (US$1.39 billion) for FHF