Nigeria has the highest number of homeless people of any African country, according to 2025 estimates from the World Population Review. The report, released this week, places Nigeria at the top of the continent's homelessness rankings, surpassing other nations with significant urban displacement. The findings underscore a deepening crisis in Africa's most populous nation, where rapid urbanization, economic hardship, and inadequate housing policies have converged to create conditions affecting millions.
The World Population Review's 2025 data shows significant differences in homelessness across African countries, both in absolute numbers and as a proportion of population. While the report does not provide a single continent-wide figure, it ranks Nigeria first, indicating that the country accounts for the largest share of Africa's homeless population. The methodology combines official census data, humanitarian reports, and international organization estimates to arrive at country-level comparisons.
Urban centers across Nigeria are feeling the strain. Lagos, the country's largest city and economic hub, has seen a sharp rise in informal settlements and street populations. The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has previously documented that Lagos alone hosts hundreds of thousands of residents living in informal settlements lacking basic services such as clean water, sanitation, and secure tenure. Similar patterns are evident in other major cities including Kano, Ibadan, and Port Harcourt, where population growth has outpaced the construction of affordable housing.
Economic factors are driving much of the displacement. Nigeria's inflation rate has remained persistently high, eroding purchasing power and making rent unaffordable for large segments of the population. The naira's depreciation against major currencies has further increased the cost of imported building materials, constraining new housing supply. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, unemployment remains elevated, particularly among youth, forcing many Nigerians into precarious living situations.
The crisis is not evenly distributed across the country. Northern states have seen increasing headcounts of out-of-school children and displaced persons due to insecurity, while southern coastal cities deal with flooding and erosion that destroy makeshift homes. The World Population Review report notes that homelessness in Africa is often undercounted, as many people living in informal settlements are not captured in official statistics.
Human rights organizations have long warned that the right to adequate housing is increasingly out of reach for ordinary Nigerians. The Nigerian Constitution guarantees the right to dignity, but legal experts say the gap between that guarantee and the reality on the ground is widening. International donors and development partners have called for greater investment in social housing, land tenure regularization, and urban planning that prioritizes low-income residents.
Government response has been mixed. The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has periodically launched housing schemes, but critics say these initiatives reach only a fraction of those in need and often favor elite interests. State governments have established emergency shelters in some locations, but capacity remains far below demand. The National Emergency Management Agency has been involved in relocation efforts during flood seasons, but these are typically temporary measures.
Analysts say the World Population Review data should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers. Without comprehensive data collection and targeted interventions, the homelessness crisis is likely to deepen as Nigeria's population continues to grow, projected to double by 2050. The report's ranking adds an international dimension to a challenge that has long been recognized as a pressing domestic issue.
As the country approaches another election cycle, housing policy is expected to feature prominently in political debates. Whether the incoming administration will prioritize the scale of investment needed to address the crisis remains an open question, but the World Population Review rankings make clear that the problem is both massive and growing.