Overcoming barriers to sustainable housing for low-income communities in a developing country: pathways to inclusive urban development

Purpose Sustainable housing encompasses residential development that balances environmental responsibility, economic efficiency and social well-being. In practice, sustainable housing goes beyond reducing the environmental footprint of buildings to address human welfare and community cohesion. Despite its significance, sustainable housing faces multiple challenges that hinder its widespread adoption, particularly in developing countries. Thus, this study therefore seeks to explore the barriers that constrain the provision of sustainable housing for low-income communities in Nigeria and to propose viable strategies for overcoming them. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research design was employed, with data gathered through structured, closed-ended questionnaires distributed to housing professionals in Nigeria, and subsequently analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, including Kruskal–Wallis test and Kendall's coefficient of concordance. Findings The results from the study identified six top most barriers to sustainable housing provision in low-income communities in Nigeria to include weak economic conditions, poor urban planning and land-use policies, rising urban population and overcrowding, high land costs, limited access to housing finance options, and poor enforcement of housing policies and regulations. Originality/value The study's findings contributed to more effective sustainable housing studies by highlighting barriers to sustainable housing provision in low-income communities. This study advances both theory and practice by articulating actionable pathways for inclusive urban development, emphasising the integration of affordability, sustainability and equity as core principles for housing-sector stakeholders. By bridging conceptual insights with practical strategies, it provides a framework that can guide policymakers, practitioners and researchers in fostering more equitable and sustainable housing systems.