Paper short abstract:

The paper examines the political and economic objectives behind the Angolan government’s ambitious goal to supply one million homes over a five year time period. It compares these goals and their results with housing policies adopted by other governments in Africa.

Paper long abstract:

Regardless of political differences, governments from Angola to South Africa have promised to increase the supply of affordable housing and allocated public finances for new housing projects. Yet, despite a professed commitment by African governments to provide housing for the poor, residential development is governed by a cruel paradox: those most in need of shelter continue to live in overcrowded and informal dwellings that lack essential services, while the provision of luxury housing continues to grow apace. This pattern of supply characterizes not only post conflict, authoritarian countries such as Angola or Rwanda, but also more democratic countries such as Tanzania and Ghana.

The paper explains the paradox by arguing that the stress on home ownership and the provision of high end housing are critical components of state building across Africa in the 21st century. They result from the pressures of diverse domestic and foreign actors and they seek to satisfy multiple motives by those in power. Especially in Angola, luxury residential developments and the expansion of home ownership are means to secure legitimacy for the regime from a well connected, highly informed, and mobile contingent of the population who are well placed to pressure the government for public and private goods and to contest it if the government does not deliver. By including Angola in cross national comparison, the paper identifies the commonalities and differences in housing provision across Africa.