ABSTRACT

This paper focuses on the challenges of housing as it relates to Low-Income Earners (LIEs).  This paper brings to light the struggles a low-income earner passes through to secure a place to live in, due to the unfavourable societal and economic factors. This is because they have not been included or considered in the planning of the city space and this faulty plan has created an inevitable pool of people without living houses. This work also seeks to bring to the notice of the concerned authorities the effects the informal sector on housing for low income earners. The informal sector of housing includes the individuals who provide housing infrastructures from personal funds, or loans as well as the house agents who are always kept abreast of the vacant houses in the community and they are the people to meet if one is need of a house to rent.

This study was carried out in Egor Local Government Area, Benin City. Egor is one of the largest local government areas in the Benin region. The questionnaire method of experimental survey was used. A simple random sampling method was employed with about four hundred questionnaires administered. Upon analysis, findings show that the leash held on the informal sector of housing by the government has been cut off oblivious to the government and that the informal housing sector is making a huge profit from the naiveté of the low-income earners and the laxity of governmental structures in housing.  High rent and overcrowding of the urban space were also observed to be an intricate cause of the challenges faced by LIEs.  The middlemen in housing deals were also exposed as a contributing factor to the unpleasant condition of renting accommodation in the area, as they were reported to be mischievous in their dealings in ways ranging from high inspection fees, hiking house rent price, extorting people to pay more in the competitive search for accommodation and outright swindling of unsuspecting clients.

The research provides insights into the role the informal sector in housing and outlines paths for future studies to generate deeper reports on the issue. The research also offers government channels for sustainable development of housing to meet the needs of low income earners and embrace their peculiar circumstances, while maximizing the huge funds required for housing projects.