CLIMATE-RESPONSIVE SLUM UPGRADING AND SUSTAINABLE HOUSING IN NIGERIA: AN INTEGRATED ARCHITECTURAL FRAMEWORK FOR INCLUSIVE URBAN REGENERATION

Rapid urbanisation, persistent housing shortages and the expansion of informal settlements continue to challenge sustainable urban development in Nigeria. Conventional slum interventions have often prioritised physical redevelopment while giving limited attention to climate-responsive architectural design, environmental quality and long-term housing resilience. This paper examines how slum upgrading can be integrated with sustainable housing delivery through an architectural lens, proposing a framework that combines climate-responsive design principles with inclusive urban regeneration. A systematic narrative review, guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), was undertaken using peer-reviewed literature and policy documents published between 2018 and 2025. Sources were retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis Online, MDPI, AJOL and Google Scholar, alongside authoritative publications from the United Nations, UN-Habitat, the World Bank and Cities Alliance. The review synthesises evidence from Nigeria and selected international case studies, including Brazil, Thailand, Kenya, South Africa and India. Findings indicate that successful slum upgrading extends beyond infrastructure provision to include climate-responsive site planning, passive building design, secure land tenure, community participation, resilient infrastructure and effective governance. Drawing on these findings, the paper proposes the Integrated Climate-Responsive Slum Upgrading Framework for Nigerian Cities (ICSUF-N), which positions architectural design as a catalyst for sustainable housing delivery and inclusive urban regeneration. The framework provides practical guidance for policymakers, architects, planners and housing agencies seeking to transform informal settlements into healthy, resilient and environmentally sustainable neighbourhoods.