Market approach to provision of housing to low-income households in urban Malawi: a panacea or further dispossession?

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of market-based approach to provision of housing to low-income households in urban Malawi. Design/methodology/approach - This study was conducted in Blantyre, Malawi, between 2019 and 2022 and used both quantitative (household survey) and qualitative (in-depth interviews and document study) methods of data collection. Interviews were conducted with key players and investors in the housing sector. Household survey data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, which allowed the generation of descriptive housing valuables, whereas qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. Findings - This paper demonstrates that, rather than ameliorating the housing problems facing low-income households, the market approach to provision of housing in Malawi has worsened the housing situation in the country. This is so because the market approach to the provision of housing in Malawi is not only enforcing the logic of capitalistic accumulation in the housing sector but also supporting mechanisms of exclusion based on economic stratification within the community. Research limitations/implications - Completeness of data over time as there is no market data bank available in the country. Practical implications - The findings from this study suggest that some degree of state intervention in addressing the housing problem in Malawi is required. Social implications - The study findings suggest that a market approach to the provision of housing can increase social inequality as low-income households face challenges in accessing housing. Originality/value - There is a paucity of research on the effects of the market approach on the provision of affordable housing to low-income households in Malawi. This paper assesses this important policy gap and provides significant policy directions.