The Hidden History Behind Global Housing Crises in Africa
By Darius Spearman (africanelements)
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The struggle for a safe place to live is a global challenge. In Africa, this struggle is deeply rooted in a history of colonial planning and modern economic pressures. Families from Ghana to South Africa are currently facing evictions that threaten their dignity. These stories often appear as brief headlines, but the background of these events reveals a long fight for justice and land rights. As the world watches these developments in January 2026, the local communities are pushing back against displacement.
Currently, the administration of President Donald Trump in the United States maintains a focus on global economic stability. However, on the ground in many African nations, the focus is on basic survival. Communities are demanding that their governments respect constitutional duties. They are organizing to protect their homes from bulldozers and corporate redevelopment plans. To understand these headlines, one must look at the decades of policy and custom that led to this moment.
The Industrial Legacy and Evictions at Kaiser Flats
In Tema, Ghana, the Kaiser Flats have become a symbol of the tension between urban renewal and housing security. The Tema Development Corporation (TDC) was established in 1952 by the colonial government (gbcghanaonline.com). It was later expanded by President Kwame Nkrumah to build a modern industrial city. The Kaiser Flats were originally built to house workers for the Volta Aluminium Company, also known as VALCO (modernghana.com). This project was a major part of the dream to industrialize Ghana after independence.
Over the years, these buildings have fallen into a state of disrepair. The TDC now claims that the structures are death traps and must be demolished for safety (myjoyonline.com). However, many residents have lived there for more than 40 years. They argue that the planned redevelopment is actually a move toward gentrification. They fear that low-income families will be replaced by luxury apartments that they cannot afford. This conflict highlights the resilience of African families as they fight to keep their place in the city.
Ghana’s Growing Housing Deficit
Measured in Millions of Units (gbcghanaonline.com)
The housing shortage in Ghana is a massive hurdle for the nation. Reports indicate a deficit of approximately 1.8 million units across the country (gbcghanaonline.com). When the TDC moves to finalize evictions, it leaves hundreds of people with nowhere to go. Groups like the Ghana National Association of Teachers have joined the call for dialogue. They emphasize that pensioners and low-income workers are the ones who suffer the most when “affordable” housing becomes a luxury (myjoyonline.com). The history of VALCO and the Kaiser legacy shows how industrial dreams can sometimes leave the workers behind.
Spatial Apartheid and the Crisis in Avalon
South Africa continues to grapple with the ghosts of its past. The term “spatial apartheid” describes how the government once used urban planning to segregate people by race (wikipedia.org). This legacy means that many Black, Indian, and Coloured communities remain on the outskirts of economic centers. In Avalon, residents are currently alleging that the local municipality is using unlawful tactics to force them out (derebus.org.za). These tactics include cutting off water and electricity, which is often called constructive eviction.
The South African Constitution of 1996 was supposed to change this reality. Section 26 guarantees the right of every citizen to have access to adequate housing (saflii.org). Furthermore, the landmark 2000 Grootboom case established that the state cannot evict people into homelessness without providing an alternative (derebus.org.za). Despite these legal protections, the delivery of government-subsidized housing has slowed down significantly. Many people in Avalon feel that the state is failing in its constitutional duties.
South Africa: Housing Delivery Decline
Annual Subsidized Units (rei.co.za)
A housing backlog of 2.2 million units persists today.
Residents in Avalon are not just protesting for services. They are demanding that the government uphold the human rights won during the anti-apartheid struggle. Many view these service cuts as a way to avoid the formal court process for evictions. By making the homes unlivable, the authorities bypass the legal requirements for resettlement. This situation mirrors the historical survival strategies of communities that have faced displacement for generations. The people of Avalon continue to push for judicial remedies to ensure their dignity is protected.
The Displacement of the Floating Community in Makoko
In Lagos, Nigeria, the waterfront community of Makoko represents a unique way of life. Established over 200 years ago, it is a village built on stilts over the lagoon (punchng.com). The residents are primarily Egun fishermen who have lived there for generations. However, the Lagos State Government often views Makoko as an eyesore or a security risk. To the officials, it is an informal settlement that stands in the way of the “Lagos Mega-City” project (punchng.com). This vision of a modern metropolis often excludes the poorest residents.
Recent reports from January 2026 describe a heartbreaking scene in the lagoon. After bulldozers leveled stilt homes, many families were forced to sleep on canoes linked together (punchng.com). Children and elders have faced sudden dispossession with no clear plan for resettlement. This is not the first time Makoko has been targeted. Major evictions also occurred in 2005 and 2012, leaving thousands of people homeless (punchng.com). Each time, the community tries to rebuild, but the threat of the bulldozer is always present.
The label of “slum” is frequently used to justify these actions. By calling the area a slum, the government makes it easier to argue for its destruction. However, activists and residents see Makoko as a historic and self-governing community. The population estimates for the area vary greatly, from 85,000 to over one million people (bluefusesystems.com). Because it is rarely included in official censuses, the government can ignore its responsibility to provide basic services. This political erasure makes it easier to displace the residents when the land becomes valuable for luxury developers.
Widows and the Battle for Land Tenure in Kenya
In Western Kenya, the struggle for housing takes a different form. Here, it is often a battle against cultural traditions that favor men. Historically, women in the Luo and Luhya communities were sometimes seen as property rather than owners (kessa.org). Practices such as “widow cleansing” and “wife inheritance” were used to control how land was passed down. When a husband died, his relatives would often try to take the land, leaving the widow and her children homeless (siayaassembly.go.ke). This practice has caused deep insecurity for women for many years.
However, the legal landscape in Kenya is changing. The 2010 Constitution granted women equal rights to own and inherit property (kippra.or.ke). Despite this law, many widows still face violence and disinheritance from their own families. In Siaya County, women have organized to demand better protection. They successfully pushed for the Siaya County Widows Protection Bill in late 2025 (siayaassembly.go.ke). This bill is a historic step that criminalizes the forced taking of land from widows and provides them with economic support.
The Gender Gap in Kenyan Land Ownership
Women perform most of the work but own a small fraction of the land (kippra.or.ke).
The fight in Kenya is also supported by legal aid organizations. These groups train widows to use Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to settle land conflicts (siayaassembly.go.ke). ADR allows women to resolve disputes through mediation instead of going through a slow and expensive court system. It is a vital tool for those who do not have the money to hire lawyers. This movement for land rights is part of a larger history of liberation movements that seek to empower the most vulnerable members of society. By securing their land, these widows are securing the future of their children.
Finding a Path Forward Amidst Dispossession
The stories from Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya all share a common thread. They show that housing is more than just a roof over one’s head. It is about the right to belong and the right to be treated with respect by the state. Whether it is a stilt home in Makoko or a flat in Tema, these spaces hold the history of the people who live there. The recent protests and legal battles show that residents are no longer willing to be ignored by officials.
International observers and local activists are calling for a new approach to urban development. Instead of clearing communities for luxury projects, governments should focus on upgrading existing settlements. They should also work to bridge the gap between customary practices and modern laws. Providing secure land titles and affordable housing units can help prevent the cycle of displacement. As families in Lagos sleep in their canoes and widows in Siaya defend their farms, the demand for justice continues to grow across the continent.
The history behind these headlines is one of survival and persistence. It is a story of how people navigate systems that were often not built for them. By looking at these struggles, we can see the deep connections between land, law, and human dignity. The path forward will require a commitment to constitutional duties and a genuine dialogue with the communities at risk. Only then can the promise of “adequate housing” become a reality for everyone, regardless of their income or background.
About the Author
Darius Spearman is a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College, where he has been teaching for over 20 years. He is the founder of African Elements, a media platform dedicated to providing educational resources on the history and culture of the African diaspora. Through his work, Spearman aims to empower and educate by bringing historical context to contemporary issues affecting the Black community.
