Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 18 (4): 492-497, 2013 ISSN 1990-9233 © IDOSI Publications, 2013 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2013.18.4.11707 Corresponding Author: Oloruntoba Kayode, Department of Architecture Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Nigeria. 492 Local Building Materials: a Tool Towards Effective Low-Income Housing in Nigeria Oloruntoba Kayode and Ayodele E. Olusegun 1 2 Department of Architecture Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Nigeria 1 Department of Quantity Surveying, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Nigeria 2 Abstract: Shelter is primary to human existence. It has been rightly adjudged second to food in the hierarchy of human needs. Its inadequacies pose a great challenge in human well-being and it requires thorough research on housing delivery in Nigeria for effective housing. The housing inadequacy propelled most of the low income earners indulged acquiring land and constructing their desired houses. Thus, the challenges of housing affordability persisted. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the factors that responsible for the persistent housing inadequacy and unaffordability among the lower income earners. Thus, structured questionnaires were distributed to 97 randomly selected low income earners across the working sectors in Akure in Ondo State. The data collated were analyzed with SPSS. It was observed from the findings that despite government, public and private individual involvement in promoting and meeting the need of low-income earners housing problems in Nigeria, the input are with high technology and imported materials that make the cost of the housing delivery higher and unaffordable for the lower class. This paper thus, canvases the improvement and adoption of local building materials for effective housing for the low income class. Key words:Housing delivery Adoption local building materials Effective housing Lower class human needs Nigeria INTRODUCTION However, Salau [4] describes housing as total residential Considering the health, welfare and productivity of services, facilities and apparatus for the general health man, housing plays a significant role. Akinola [1] submits and social well-being of man. Noting the significance of that Housing is a spatial and material symbol, a housing, most Nigeria Low income classes were living in microcosmic reflection of social and cultural expectation. slum and an environment that run short of essential It reflects the cultural, social and economic values of a needs both in urban and rural settings. In line with this, society and is the best physical and historical evidences the lower class is more affected in a bid to measure up of civilization in a country [2]. The importance of housing with Housing challenge. They constitute a higher to man cannot be over emphasized. Man spends most of percentage of Nigeria populace. Olotuah [5] and his time in the ‘house’. The attitude of man and his urge Abdullahi et. al. [6] Submits that the poor are mostly to work can be influenced by the type of housing affected by the situation as they reside in slum areas provided. Despite the housing policies embarked upon in in urban centers and overcrowded population situated Nigeria, there is still poor and generally deteriorating in unsanitary condition. Housing provided through urban housing condition [1]. Housing is not just shelter various governments was too expensive and fall out of it involves every other facility that could bring about reach of the poor/the lower class. This has always been the comfortability of mankind. Housing quality is the situation. A reconnaissance survey of the housing determined by the proximity of essential facilities, services situation in Nigeria painted a pathetic picture of an and human daily activities. A living environment may not intractable problem [7]. Effective Housing demand relates transform to housing if other essential human needs were to the accommodation for which people are able and absent. People would rather remain in a residential area willing to pay irrespective of social desires or personal due to the facilities provided within the housing area [3]. aspiration that cannot be fulfilled for lack of money [8]. environment including physical structure, all necessary