Strengthening the Right to Affordable Housing through Diversity and Inclusive Urban Governance in Nigeria

The urban landscape of Nigeria is marked by rapid population growth, socio-cultural diversity, and persistent inequality in access to affordable housing. Despite constitutional assurances and international commitments affirming the right to housing, governance systems in Nigeria often remain exclusionary, marginalising informal and low-income residents. These governance gaps undermine ethical principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion as articulated in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities. This study examines how inclusive urban governance, grounded in diversity, participation, and social justice, can strengthen the realisation of the right to affordable housing. The research adopts a mixed-method design combining critical policy analysis, participatory urban mapping, and comparative case studies of Lagos, Abuja, and Kano cities that exemplify the cosmopolitan and complex urban realities of Nigeria. The research examines the intersections between governance structures, diversity management, and housing equity through theoretical perspectives from urban citizenship, collaborative governance, and the right to the city. The study finds that weak institutional coordination, limited stakeholder engagement, and the exclusion of informal communities hinder equitable access to affordable housing, while cities with participatory governance practices show more promising outcomes in housing delivery. The findings aim to bridge theoretical and policy gaps by proposing an Inclusive Urban Governance Model (IUGM) tailored to the socio-political and institutional contexts of Nigeria which provides actionable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and housing stakeholders, fostering governance culture that promotes inclusivity, equity, and sustainable access to affordable housing across diverse urban environments in Nigeria.