Written by Kingsley Adegboye
As preparations for the 19th Africa International Housing Show (AIHS) intensify, organizers of the annual housing show have launched an aggressive campaign to attract local and international investors to Africa’s real estate sector, highlighting its huge economic potential and untapped opportunities.
The event is scheduled to be held from July 27 to August 1, 2025 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
Named Africa’s largest housing, construction and urban development platform, AIHS 2025 aims to position the continent’s real estate market as a viable investment destination as demand for affordable housing, infrastructure development and policy reform increases across Africa.
Festus Adebayo, Coordinator of AIHS and Executive Director of Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN), said the 2025 edition will be a powerful rallying point for investors, developers, government agencies, financial institutions and policy leaders around the world.
He emphasized that real estate remains one of the most resilient and scalable sectors on the continent.
“We are inviting enthusiastic investors from within Africa and beyond to explore the vast potential of the real estate and construction sector,” Adebayo said.
“With housing contributing significantly to Nigeria’s GDP and the urban population expanding rapidly, now is the time to forge the right partnerships,” he further said.
According to industry data, Nigeria’s real estate sector contributed 5.2% to gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, indicating that the sector plays a pivotal role in economic growth.
With a housing shortage of more than 22 million units in Nigeria alone, and similar shortages in countries such as Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and Liberia, AIHS is making a bold call to action for investors to capitalize on this demand.
AIHS 2025 will bring together dynamic activities and participants, including more than 400 exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge housing and construction products, innovative building technologies, mortgage and financial strategies, and locally sourced construction materials.
The event is expected to attract more than 40,000 participants from more than 26 countries, creating a truly global platform for dialogue and cooperation.
Attendees can look forward to specialized sessions on key issues such as discrete housing, affordable housing finance, climate-resilient development, women in real estate, and public-private partnerships.
A key highlight of the event will be high-level interactions with ministries, delegations from multilateral organizations including Shelter Africa, the World Bank and IFC, as well as leading real estate developers and investors from Africa, Dubai, India and beyond.
The event will also feature the Best of AIHS Awards, which celebrate excellence and innovation in the built environment.
This year’s event, themed “Reimagining Housing Challenges as Opportunities: Through Innovation, Collaboration and Policy,” is supported by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development of Nigeria, under the leadership of Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa.
AIHS has also confirmed the participation of no fewer than five African housing ministers and will host a special investment forum focused on securing funding for large-scale housing, affordable, mixed-use developments across Africa.
“Africa cannot continue to import all building solutions. Now is the time to promote local content, attract foreign direct investment and close the infrastructure gap with action. AIHS provides the platform,” Adebayo said.
With increasing interest from investors from the Middle East, Europe and Asia, AIHS 2025 is expected to foster multi-million dollar conversations on real estate development, financing structures, land reform and sustainable construction.
Investors, developers and policy makers are encouraged to register early and reserve exhibition space.
