# About AIHS
Africa International Housing Show (AIHS)
FOUNDER/ CEO:
FESTUS ADEBAYO
The Africa International Housing Show (AIHS) has firmly established itself as a global brand, leading the charge in addressing Africa’s housing challenges through international collaborations and innovative strategies. From its humble beginnings eighteen years ago, AIHS has grown into the continent’s premier housing and construction event, with a consistent vision that has birthed impactful platforms such as the Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) and Africa’s first dedicated housing television channel, Housing TV Africa.
Since its inception, AIHS has transformed from a regional initiative into a globally recognized event, drawing thousands of participants from around the world. Festus Adebayo, the visionary leader behind AIHS, has maintained a relentless focus on advocacy for affordable and resilient housing, resulting in the creation of HDAN, a powerful advocacy platform that champions the rights to decent shelter for all Africans. Additionally, the establishment of Africa’s first housing television channel, Housing TV Africa, has provided a dynamic medium for raising awareness and fostering discussions on critical housing issues.
AIHS’s impact is profound, having facilitated over 200 billion Naira in business transactions for exhibitors and directly helping more than 20,000 homeless individuals secure shelter over its 18-year history. The event has become synonymous with success in the housing sector, offering a comprehensive platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and the sealing of significant housing deals.
At the heart of AIHS’s success is its commitment to addressing the pressing housing needs in Africa by leveraging international partnerships. In 2024, the Africa International Housing Show (AIHS) marked a historic milestone with the participation of 25 delegates from the UK Department of Trade and Investment, Nigeria’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Development under the leadership of Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa, Representative of the President of Liberia, and delegates from 26 countries, including Morocco, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Egypt, Zimbabwe, UAE, Turkey, China, USA, UK, Germany, Canada, and South Africa. The event further cemented its status as Africa’s largest housing and construction event, fostering international collaborations and driving investment into the real estate sector.
In a call for expansion, Shelter Afrique has requested that AIHS be held in other African countries, reflecting the growing influence and reach of the show across the continent. This remarkable event offers access to several innovations, including over 400 exhibitors and 40,000+ attendees, making it a prime destination for industry leaders, investors, and stakeholders. AIHS also features unique forums such as Africa’s one-of-a-kind Real Estate CEOs Forum and the AIHS U40 & Young Professional Meet-up, designed to nurture the next generation of housing and construction ambassadors, and a range of B2B meetings and networking opportunities.
Many key resolutions from the global event have been implemented in most African countries, notably the most recent one emphasizing the need for the government to address the long-standing issue of inconsistent housing deficit figures, which has been executed by Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa, who inaugurated a Joint Steering Committee on National Housing Data. The committee is tasked with developing a blueprint for transparent and accessible housing data, critical for informed policymaking and strategic planning. Dangiwa also announced that the country will establish a National Housing Data Center within six months.
The exhibition halls have showcased the best and most innovative products and services, while platforms like the Proptech & Startup, Artisan Development Platform, International Conference on Alternative Funding for Housing, and the New Products Pavilion provide opportunities for professional growth and industry advancements. It has also featured international exhibitors showcasing a range of housing and construction products, including affordable mortgages, building materials, home interior decorations, furniture, roofing sheets, tiles, mixing and interlocking machines, paints, and other innovations in the global industry. International contractors, investors, developers, and mortgage banks have participated, creating an atmosphere of excellence, innovation, and creativity, with competitive bargains available for buyers.
AIHS’s digital expansion through the Housing TV Africa mobile app has further enhanced its global reach. This platform offers participants a seamless experience, providing access to events, housing news from all over the world, connecting them with speakers, partners, and exhibitors, and facilitating deal rooms and B2B meetings with banks, government officials, and international financial organizations.
Several editions of AIHS were a monumental success, featuring over 30 speakers from 15 countries, including renowned figures like Jonathan Malagon, former Minister of Housing, City, and Territory of Colombia; Dr. Marja C. Hoek-Smit, Director of the International Housing Finance Program at Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; and Mr. Andrew S. Nevin, Partner and Chief Economist at PWC Nigeria; Bertine Kamphuis, World Bank Lead Team Nigeria; Lew Schulman, Chairman of iBUILD Global Incorporated, USA; Mrs. Abdel Hamid, Chairman of the Mortgage Finance Fund, Egypt; Kecia Rust, Executive Director and founder of the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (CAHF); Olivia Nielsen, Associate Principal at Miyamoto International, USA; and Ian Shapiro, CEO of Reall UK, among others.
The event also hosted top-level representatives from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Edge, World Bank, among others. Foreign ministers of works and housing from countries like Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa have participated, alongside international diplomats and high commissioners, aiming to adapt resolutions from the show to advance housing and construction initiatives in their respective nations.
High-level sessions, such as the CEOs Forum, Housing Finance Conference, and Stakeholders Panels, have played a significant role in establishing realistic goals for housing development. AIHS has also provided ample opportunities for networking, home ownership, professional development, and policy advancements within the housing sector. The Best of AIHS Awards recognize excellence within the sector, adding to the event’s prestige.
AIHS continues to be a beacon of hope and progress in the housing industry, driving change and innovation on a global scale.
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Housing the Critical Mass:
The issue of affordability puts access to housing finance at the heart of resolving the housing crisis in Nigeria. For many western countries such as the USA, UK, a rough outline of the formula that has worked blends two major approaches. One is the implementation of social housing programs that are funded and subsidized by central governments to underprivileged citizens. The other is the creation of an enabling environment that encourages private sector investments in housing and the promotion of long-term mortgages as a path to homeownership. Underlying both approaches is the social need to eliminate the huge initial capital outlay that housing entails so that economically active citizens can own homes and pay conveniently over time.
In Nigeria, lockdowns and stay-at-home orders have brought into sharp focus the poor state of housing in the country thus, questioning the scale of effectiveness of stay-at-home orders to limit the spread of Covid-19. Low levels of investments in the provision of affordable housing across key segments of the society has created a housing deficit that is estimated at about 23 miIIion units. The AIHS and HDAN also hopes to continue its advocacy on the need to connect housing policy and development initiatives towards meeting the housing needs of low-income subscribers for increased impact.
Technology and Housing Finance Solutions:
The AIHS and our sister advocacy platform HDAN believes in a future where housing finance and development will factor social and environmental impact into all types of investment decisions as the new normal across private and public sectors. In order to achieve this, the AIHS in 2023 at the 17th edition will be promoting discuss and engagement on the implementation of digital and technological innovation targeted and delivering housing development, and best practices and norms in the use of data to inform impact policy/investment decisions and driving impact policy adoption in housing finance in Nigeria.
Affordable Housing & Sustainability Focused Solutions:
The AIHS is a major advocate for balancing the housing need with the protection of the environment for future generations. The trustees and think tanks for the AIHS and Housing Development Advocacy network (HDAN) are abreast of the data on global warming and the deteriorating conditions under the ‘business-as-usual’ scenario in which housing development has thus far been delivered in opposition to the growing need to meet climate goals as well as combat flooding and other disasters. The AIHS 15th edition will explore these issues as part of the Housing and Sustainability session to review policies, innovations and financing opportunities as part of discussions on Climate & the Environment.
The session will avail stakeholders, investors and climate and sustainability practitioners the opportunity to discover available and emerging housing investment solutions in both developing and developed markets, targeted at tackling climate change mitigation and adaptation, and explore how capital can lead the way in meeting the targets laid out in the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals while delivering on housing needs in Nigeria.
Housing Market Development and Policy in a Pandemic:
The AIHS platform is a strong advocate for the symbiotic relationship between housing finance and impact investing geared towards the resolution of pressing social and environmental challenges like the current COVID-19 Pandemic. As part of the Housing market development session during the 15th AIHS, stakeholders, investors and participants will explore how to more effectively and efficiently contribute to the success of the housing finance market and be charged with the responsibility of increasing the pipeline of available housing policy and investment development opportunities in the face of a public health challenge. The Housing Market Development Sessions will tackle various points of intersection between stakeholders along the housing value chain and impact investment issues covering areas like housing investment policies, health innovations, social housing investment management, and public health impact and risk etc.