HOUSING SECURITY AS A COMPONENT OF HUMAN SECURITY: IMPLICATIONS FOR WORKERS IN THE FCT ABUJA
Itegbe, Nwakuso Joan , Mohammed Bello Baban Umma, PhD and Abubakar Tafida, PhD
Volume 14 Issue 1
Abstract
Housing security has increasingly emerged as a critical dimension of human security, particularly in rapidly urbanising contexts where access to adequate and affordable housing remains a major challenge. This seminar paper examines housing security as a component of human security, with specific focus on workers in the Federal Capital Territory. Drawing on Human Security Theory and Social Welfare Theory, the study adopts a qualitative, literature-based approach to explore the conceptual, theoretical, and empirical linkages between housing conditions and human wellbeing. The findings reveal that housing challenges in the FCT are multi-dimensional, including affordability constraints, housing shortages, infrastructural deficits, and spatial inequalities. These challenges disproportionately affect low and middle income workers, exposing them to economic strain, social exclusion, and health risks. The study further shows that housing insecurity undermines both freedom from fear and freedom from want, thereby posing a significant threat to human security. The study identifies key policy gaps such as weak implementation, limited housing finance access, and inadequate targeting of vulnerable groups. It concludes that improving housing security requires integrated, human-centered policies, strengthened institutional coordination, and targeted interventions for workers. Keywords: Housing Security, Human Security, Housing Policy, Housing Challenges, Workers, Urbanisation, FCT.
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