Analysis of Housing Demand in Awka City, Anambra State

The term housing is not just an essential for life, but it is necessary. The challenge of meeting the housing demand of the people is making a change to a demand-oriented approach to housing demand and supply imperative. Change in orientation also becomes crucial in view of the continued incapacitation of Nigerian states in housing demand as well as delivery for the households. One of the major factors that influences housing but has not been adequately addressed is lack of adequate database on household socio-economic characteristic toward housing demand in most development countries, Nigeria inclusive. Although the Federal government has made some commendable efforts at housing provision, the efforts of the state governments have been grossly negligible. There is thus a high natural tendency of housing demand amongst the people to provide for the inadequacy of housing. This research focuses on analyzing the socio-economic characteristic of household toward housing demand in Awka city. A total of 400 questionnaires were administered but 390 duly completed and considered valid. The study comprises of seven (7) districts in Awka and was selected for questionnaire administration which comprises of Ayom-na-Okpala, Nkwelle, Amachalla, Ifite-Oka, Amikwo, Ezi-Oka and Agulu, using a purposive sampling technique. Data were analyzed using tables, percentages, frequency counts. The study reveals that demand for housing in Awka city is extremely high; most people in Awka city evidently are low income earners and are generally renters. The study recommends that government should improve the income earnings of workers, living standard and provide more rental houses.