At the 42nd Annual General Meeting on Monday in Abuja, Managing Director and Chief Executive of Shelter Afrique Mr. Thierno-Habib Hann says the African continent had created a previously unheard-of business environment for the housing sector, which he characterized as essential for the human population.
Additionally, he claimed that the continent is endowed with extraordinary opportunities from which Africans may prosper.
Habib Hann acknowledged that in order to address the worldwide affordable housing challenge, Africa needs to be at the forefront of technology and strategy.
Over four decades of advocacy for better living, despite economic turbulence, political upheavals, and social shift is no easy task, he said.
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“Our young continent presents us with an unprecedented business landscape in a sector so critical for the human population: housing. Yet, it presents us with unprecedented opportunities from which we can flourish. But, in order to do so, we must always be one step ahead in terms of technology and strategy, as our track record as a champion in resolving the global affordable housing crisis demonstrates”, Hann said.
The Shelter Afrique boss also acknowledged that Africa is presently going through a phase afflicted with global recession, so, it needed to turn its attention to the dynamics of the African housing market.
While appreciating the host Nigeria whom he described as a critical stakeholder with Shelter Afrique and housing development in Africa, Mr. Habib Hann said the AGM “will be in the form of a symposium convened by the Center of Excellence that converges public, private and other relevant stakeholders to assess Nigeria’s housing and built environment industry and recommend frameworks to enhance performance and deliverables”.
“We are navigating a period afflicted with global recession while African nations are reeling from geopolitics, energy, and economic shocks. So, we need to turn our attention to the dynamics of the African housing market”.
“This requires a conversation on the housing sector’s political economy, which involves interactions that have shaped the housing production and delivery value chain.
“By understanding the incentive mechanisms confronting the key players in the housing value chain, we can discover how to easily supply adequate and reasonably priced housing for everyone, even though the cards are stacked against us”, Mr. Habib Hann stated.
