IOM, Nigeria provide houses for displaced persons

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Nigerian Government have collaborated to provide houses for 3.5 million people affected by displacement

The partnership is to strengthen a social fabric in which people can simultaneously deepen their roots and grow peacefully together, linking generations and persons interacting with each other.

The Chief of Mission IOM, Nigeria, Mr Laurent De Boeck, who made this known at an Award ceremony of Winners of the Inaugural Housing Design Competition tagged: “Home After Crisis” in Abuja, also  said the mission’s new Strategic-Plan 2024–2028 highlighted the need to support people who desired to stay in their home.

According to him, “This can be done by increasing investments in disaster risk reduction, durable solutions and local adaptation. Housing policies play crucial role in achieving these goals. Adequate housing is recognised as universal right in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It encompasses security of tenure, protection against forced evictions, non-discrimination, affordability, participation in decision-making, and access to services, materials, facilities and infrastructure. Housing must go beyond four walls and a roof (UN HABITAT, 2009). Our efforts aim to strengthen social fabric in which people can simultaneously deepen their roots and grow, Home is not where we live. Home is where we belong”. He said

Speaking on the housing competition, De Boeck, noted that the process provides the displaced with a home that is in line with their culture and natural environment.

“The housing competition paves the way to engage the world in addressing these challenges. They provide a route towards integrating development programmes with the humanitarian response. 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, steppingstones to engage with local and national development plans. It respects culture and the social fabric which makes the society a safe heaven, where communities live peacefully together”. 

In a related development, the Governors of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States, have reassured the Agencies of their commitment to support the realization of the housing construction for displaced persons.

According to the Governor of Borno, Babagana Zulum, the initiative for the competition came at the right time, as it engages domestic and international design-communities in developing low-cost, incremental and modular housing solutions for displaced people in the North-East.

“Innovative housing designs, incremental and modular concepts are something important that we all need to understand. The incremental aspect is important because someone who does not have capacity to expand his or her housing units can expand it whenever he or she has the resources to do so. The concept of modular is such that you can build two to six or more housing units together; this is something that we shall replicate and the most important aspect is that it is flexible to a certain extent. On behalf of Borno, governors of Adamawa and Yobe we are here to inform IOM that we shall provide the political will, and commitment to build more of such houses in our states in partnership with IOM. We will build more of such houses in collaboration with the University of Maiduguri, Adamawa, Yobe and others in the North-East.”

Governor Zulum added that the key thing about the initiative is affordability, ensuring stability of the soil in Borno to bring about sustainable housing growth.

“The idea of the competition is timely, not just in representing the interest of the people. Today we came together to acknowledge the resilience of our people and to celebrate the beacon of hope in the home design, which the initiative holds special place in our hearts.It goes beyond the realms of architectural innovation; it embodies the spirit of safeguarding lives and property in communities shattered by crisis. The competition not only encourages creativity towards thinking in design, it also represents the commitment towards restoring dignity and stability to people, who have faced unimaginable hardship.” Zulum added.

For her part, Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Development, Dr Jamila Ibrahim, stressed that the event present measures to tackle housing deficits for vulnerable families in the North-East region of Nigeria.

“The essence of this competition lies not just in the architectural prowess displayed, but in providing low-cost incremental and modular housing solutions. This is pivotal in fostering an innovative solution that presents an array of options to address housing challenges faced by vulnerable families, crucially the competition aligns with our commitment to harness the potential of young people. It provides platform for youths to contribute meaningfully to socio-economic development of our nation, by engaging and creating affordable housing solutions, youths are not only designing but crafting the foundation for stronger and modest communities. This competition underscores the belief in the creative prowess of young people and their ability to drive positive change”. She said.

Programme Manager of Shelter and NFI, who initiated the Home After Crisis, Project, Mr.Davies Okoko, said the idea was conceived during presentation of 1.9 million returnees and 2.3million IDPs in Maiduguri in 2021, and the thought to return them to a home.

 “We are trying to see how best to address housing deficits for displaced persons in the North-East, we have now settled not less than 9000 IDPs. It is indicator they have crossed the lines. Our next step is that we want to go into durale housing whereby an IDP can get a house that has relative space in areas they choose to settle.”

A cash price of worth of 5000 Euros was presented to Sabon Gida, Sabon Farko, “New Home, New Beginning” who won First Prize winner. 3000 Euros, went to Zuhura Zuhair, who won the Second Prize and 2000 Euros went to the Be coming Home who emerged third with the Prize of.

The competition was organised by the UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM) through funding from the Nigerian Humanitarian Fund (NHF).