Migration Body Housing Programme Benefits 9,000 In North East

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and its partners have built housing units that  have benefited 9,000 people who were formally displaced from their homes following the protracted terrorist attacks in the northeast.

The IOM disclosed this  in a press conference  on the occasion of the official announcement of the winners of the inaugural  Housing Design Competition tagged “ Home After Crisis” in Abuja on Wednesday.

The 2023 “Home After Crisis” design competition, funded  by the Nigerian Humanitarian Fund(NHF),  will be held on Thursday in Nigeria and winners will go home with cash prizes totaling $12,000.

IOM Chief of Mission to Nigeria, Laurent De Boeck, told the news conference that since the onset of the humanitarian crisis in the northeast a decade ago,  that IOM has worked with the Federal government of Nigeria and the governments of states of northeast states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe to deliver life-saving responses that support the transition of vulnerable  communities out of humanitarian assistance and towards development programmes.

He said “since 2015, the northeast of  Nigeria has faced escalating  violence, leading to an unprecedented  housing emergency. As of 2023, an estimated 3.5 million people had lost their homes or lived  in precarious conditions.

“Nigeria currently experiences an acute housing deficit, estimated at around 23 million, requiring  the construction  of one million housing  units annually for the next 20 years. At the IOM, we commit  to support the government and the people of Nigeria to increase the current production rate of housing  construction with the private sector.”

To address this, IOM Nigeria is actively working  to overcome  the shelter emergency  with a durable  housing strategy. The objective, according Boeck,  is to move beyond merely providing  housing units  and embrace the concepts of providing a home.

The “Home After Crisis” brought together 16,00 designers, architects and engineers from across 100 countries and a  quarter of them were Nigerians. The experts have developed 250 design proposals for low-cost and innovative housing.

“The Housing competition targets the housing  challenges linked to Nigeria’s  rapidly growing population. They aim to provide access to affordable  housing units, built with the goal of delivering  climate-proof housing  with local materials.

“The Housing competition paves the way to engage  the world in addressing these challenges. They provide a route towards integrating  development  programmes with humanitarian response. Above all, it is crucial that it ensures that No One is Left  Behind, as we transition away from crises  where safety  and conditions prevail.

“It provides those affected by displacement with a home that is integrated with their natural environment  and the stepping stones  to engage  with local and national  development plans. It respects the culture and the social fabric which makes the society  a safe haven, where communities  live peacefully together, linking generations, persons interacting  with each other,” he said.

IOM Strategy for Nigeria 2023-2027 emphasizes that “Nigeria’s overall strategic objective is to support the Government of Nigeria and relevant actors in governing migration effectively to maximize its positive  impact while  minimizing  its potential costs on all migrants and society”

And in line with the IOM new Strategic Plan 2024-2028, it will  continue to support  people who want to stay in their homes, by increasing  investments in disaster risk reduction, durable solutions and local adaptation.