SAADIYA ALIYU’S INSPIRATIONAL STORY AS A REAL ESTATE LEADER
Q: Can you share your journey into real estate and how your experiences have shaped your leadership at Urban Shelter?
A: My journey into real estate has been one of purpose and resilience. As an economist, I’ve always been fascinated by how housing drives economic growth and social stability. Real estate provided a platform to translate that understanding into tangible impact, creating jobs, enhancing infrastructure, and shaping communities. Each stage of my career reinforced the need for people-centred development. At Urban Shelter, that principle defines our approach. Leadership in real estate requires patience, vision, and empathy, as well as the ability to balance profitability with purpose. Those values guide every decision we make.
Q: From your perspective as a developer, what are the biggest challenges facing Nigeria’s real estate market, and how has Urban Shelter navigated them?
A: Nigeria’s real estate market faces three main challenges: financing, infrastructure, and regulation. Access to long-term funding remains limited, infrastructure gaps inflate costs, and approval processes can be cumbersome. At Urban Shelter, we mitigate these challenges through innovation and strategic partnerships. We blend private financing with institutional collaboration, integrate infrastructure into our master plans, leverage scale, and maintain strong regulatory engagement. Our strategy is built on consistency, transparency, and value creation, keys to sustainability in this environment.
Q: Where do you see yourself and Urban Shelter in the next five years?
A: The next five years are about growth and legacy. We aim to expand across Nigeria and the West Africa region with a focus on affordable housing, urban renewal, iconic developments, and sustainable commercial projects. We’re investing in our people, technology, energy efficiency, and community resilience. Personally, I see myself deepening our social impact, mentoring emerging leaders and ensuring Urban Shelter remains synonymous with trust, integrity, and excellence.
Q: How is Urban Shelter using innovation and technology to stay ahead?
A: Innovative features and initiatives are being rolled out across our entire portfolio. Sustainability and green buildings: We are redefining our green building policy to ensure current and applicable initiatives are scaled. We believe strongly in energy sufficiency and have committed to common areas being powered by solar energy. We are piloting Smart Water Systems with an innovative partner to do our part in water conservation and better accountability of use. We are also spearheading a biodegradable mechanical system to transform bigoases into an energy source that will ultimately help power the estate. Urban Shelter has a culture of innovation and experimentation, which has enabled some of these exciting initiatives to come to light. We have adopted Building Information Modelling to enhance planning and integration of the different components of construction—architecture, engineering disciplines, and quantity surveys. Generative AI is used to enhance customer experience.
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring professionals and investors in Nigeria’s real estate market?
A: Real estate rewards patience and credibility. For professionals: learn continuously, build integrity, make the connection, gain experience, and understand both the market and the people you serve. For investors: research, do due diligence, partner wisely, and take a long-term view. Nigeria’s market is demanding but full of opportunity. With discipline, foresight, and consistency, success will follow.
Q: Can you tell us about your professional background?
A: I am the Managing Director/CEO of Urban Shelter Ltd. I am a results-oriented executive management professional, focused, driven, and dynamic, with over 15 years of progressive leadership experience. I have led Urban Shelter through change management since 2015 and repositioned the company to be an industry leader in the real estate sector. In addition, I head the Thematic Group for Housing & Urban Development of NESG; I was the Coordinator for the Technical Working Group, Housing & UD for the MTNDP; I provide governance as a board director in several companies, including Shelter Suites & Hotels Ltd and North South Power. I am an alumnus of Brunel University and the School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London. I am passionate about gender equity.
Saadiya Aminu is the Managing Director/CEO of Urban Shelter
Ltd.
Saadiya is a results-oriented executive management professional-
sional. She is focused, driven, and dynamic with over 15 years of progressive leadership-
ship experience. Saadiya has led Urban Shelter, a real estate development company, which has been
through change management since 2015, and repositioned the
company to be an industry leader in the real estate sector
In addition, she heads the Thematic Group for Housing &
Urban Development of NESG; She was the Coordinator for the
Technical Working Group, Housing & UD for the MTNDP; she
provides governance as a board director in several companies,
including Shelter Suites & Hotels Ltd
and North South Power.
She is an alumnus of Brunel University and School and Oriental
& African Studies, University
of London. She is passionate about gender equity.