Abstract

The issue of good governance has become a central problem confronting most cities in every continent. Also, the problem of housing and rapid urban growth has become a universal one, although it is more critical in the less-developed countries (including Nigeria) than in the developed world. Therefore, the need to ensure an effective housing delivery for sustainable urban development requires an application of appropriate mechanism of governance in housing policy formulation and implementation. This is the main issue that this paper attempts to examine. The phenomenal rise in the population of major cities in Nigeria has, in recent times, been responsible for the diverse urban problems such as overcrowding, inadequate and poor infrastructural facilities, and particularly, inadequate housing and deplorable living conditions, among several others. The paper observes that a major developmental challenge to effective housing delivery for sustainable urban growth in Nigeria is how to ensure good governance. While examining this urban challenge, the paper underscores the need to imbibe the principles of sustainable development outlined in the United Nations Agenda 21 that espouses the importance of good governance. It highlights the need to engender a policy or strategy that will ensure adequate infrastructural amenities to complement housing delivery efforts. In conclusion, the paper recommends that good governance that is effective, efficient, and responsive and that also ensures equity, transparency and participation of relevant stakeholders is the antidote for achieving effective housing delivery for sustainability in Nigeria.