ABSTRACT
Social policy usually addresses social issues regarding citizens’ welfare needs, especially health, employment, and housing. The aims are to advance the growth of the poor (pro-poor growth), attenuate poverty, and forestall the marginalization of the vulnerable groups that often are subjugated by the tyranny of elitism and social class struggle. Among the basic needs of the poor, housing is perhaps the most daunting and the one that reflects the most sordid image of deprivation. Poverty is no doubt entrenched in Nigeria, and for long, the government has realized the intricate link between housing and poverty. Therefore, the focus of public housing provision in Nigeria has, however, been to ensure that the low working class is provided with affordable and decent homes with the goal of alleviating household poverty. Several policy mantras have been initiated around this goal, including subsidized housing, low-cost housing, assisted self-help housing, sites-and-services housing, and cooperative housing. All these housing policy initiatives are targeted at providing affordable housing for the poor citizenry who are largely deprived and excluded from the neoliberal housing market foisted on the country by the colonial and capitalist hegemonies. This chapter argues that in Nigeria, social and housing policies are tailored towards social needs and poverty reduction in the country. The chapter provides insights into understanding social policy and poverty in Nigeria on the one hand and how pro-poor welfare policy of public housing has fostered a reduction in poverty among poor Nigerians on the other hand. The study has implications for key players in public welfare and poverty alleviation decision-making, especially governments, social workers, international agencies, and non-governmental organizations.
