Nigeria launches national programme to build 38,400 student bed spaces

The Nigerian Federal Government, through Family Homes Funds Limited (FHFL), is implementing a National Student Housing Programme (NASHP) to address severe accommodation shortages in tertiary institutions. The initiative aims to deliver 38,400 bed spaces across 24 institutions, including 12 universities, six polytechnics, and six colleges of education across the country's six geopolitical zones.

Currently, fewer than 15 per cent of Nigeria’s more than 2.1 million public tertiary students are accommodated on campus. This shortage often forces students into expensive, poorly serviced, or unsafe off-campus housing, which can impact academic performance and student safety.

The programme operates as a public-private partnership involving FHFL, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), and the Student Housing Company (SHC). FHFL provides development finance and management, TETFund anchors the intervention within education funding, and SHC provides private capital and long-term facility management.

Two projects have already been completed: a 1,600-bed capacity hostel at Akwa Ibom State University and a facility at the College of Education in Warri, Delta State. Each hostel features 400 en-suite rooms, study areas, reading rooms, a cafeteria, and laundry facilities. Eight additional institutions are currently under construction, with more projects expected to begin before the end of 2026.