Ivory Coast plans 12,000 housing units after deadly floods, evictions
Ivory Coast will build 12,000 social housing units for displaced people after heavy rains claimed 59 lives and evictions displaced thousands.
Ivory Coast’s government has announced plans to build 12,000 social housing units to support nearly 60,000 people displaced by recent eviction exercises. The government is also responding to the devastating impact of heavy rains across the country. Meeting on July 1, the Council of Ministers said two relocation sites have been identified in Songon and along the Northern Highway, where the housing project will offer affordable accommodation for affected residents.
The government said the initiative is part of efforts to ensure the safe resettlement of families displaced by urban redevelopment. Authorities also expressed concern over severe flooding triggered by the rainy season, which has claimed 59 lives since late June. Officials noted that no deaths were recorded in areas previously identified as high-risk, where residents complied with evacuation orders. However, the commune of Attécoubé recorded the highest number of fatalities, highlighting the need for continued disaster preparedness and public compliance with safety measures.
The Nigerian stake is twofold. First, the flooding in Ivory Coast mirrors the seasonal flooding that devastates communities across Nigeria every year. In 2022, floods in Nigeria claimed more than 600 lives and displaced over 1.4 million people. The pattern is the same: rapid urbanisation, poor drainage, inadequate disaster preparedness. Second, the housing programme is a reminder that West African governments are grappling with urban displacement, whether caused by floods or by forced evictions in the name of redevelopment.
This is not the first time Ivory Coast has attempted mass housing for displaced populations. The 2010 post-election crisis displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and subsequent resettlement efforts were marked by delays and inadequate infrastructure. The current plan faces similar risks.
From a Nigerian vantage point, the lesson is clear: urban displacement requires permanent housing, not temporary shelter. Nigeria’s own resettlement programmes, from the Lagos slum clearances to the Boko Haram-displaced communities in the North-east, have often fallen short. Ivory Coast’s programme is a test case. If it succeeds, it offers a model. If it fails, it offers a warning.
The winners: displaced Ivorians who may receive permanent housing. The losers: the Ivorian government, which faces the challenge of delivering on a large-scale promise, and the 59 families who lost loved ones to the floods.
Bottom Line: Ivory Coast is building homes for the displaced. The question is whether it can build them before the next flood.