The Nigerian government has been charged to update the Land Use Act to address present-day challenges on the rights to housing and incorporate international human rights standards, including the prohibition of forced evictions.

This is a recommendation made by Leilani Farha a United Nation’s Special Rapporteur on adequate housing after a ten-day assessment of the housing situation in three of Nigeria’s major cities of Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

Galaxy’s Godfrey Eshiemoghie reports that the UN Rapporteur urged the Nigerian government to address homelessness on an urgent and priority basis as a human rights crisis.

Miss Farha called for the enactment of a comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation by public and private actors in the area of housing, suggesting also that the government repeal the provisions Same-sex Marriage Prohibition Act that discriminate and criminalize based on gender identity.