Housing affordability crises reported in Australia and Nigeria

Housing affordability and insecurity are escalating in different regions. In Australia, a new initiative in the Southern Highlands is addressing the rising risk of homelessness among older women. Data indicates a significant increase in homelessness for women over 55 in New South Wales, with the 65-74 age bracket seeing a 78 per cent jump. The HOW-SH program, modeled after a successful Blue Mountains initiative, functions as a matching service that pairs women in need with property owners offering affordable self-contained spaces like granny flats or studios.

In Nigeria, the Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has reported a severe housing crisis in Abuja. A recent report estimates a 1.7 million-unit housing deficit in the Federal Capital Territory, driven by rapid population growth and rising rents. HDAN highlights a mismatch in the market where luxury properties remain under-occupied while civil servants and low-to-middle-income households struggle to find affordable accommodation. The network argues that the crisis is defined not just by a shortage of buildings, but by a lack of housing that is accessible and suitable for the actual purchasing power of residents.