Self-build housing gains ground on the outskirts of Praia amid a lack of affordable homes

Building in stages, for lack of any other option

An informal plot costs between 300,000 and 600,000 CVE, well below a serviced one.

A response to the lack of affordable housing

These settlements serve an important social function for families shut out of the formal market.

Basic services, the big outstanding issue

Water, sanitation and electricity arrive years after the first families settle.

Between tolerance and regularisation

Authorities' attitude is shifting towards one-off regularisation programmes.

Daily life in self-build neighbourhoods

In neighbourhoods growing on the outskirts of Praia, families build their homes according to whatever income is available, adding rooms or a second storey when the budget allows. This method, common throughout the capital's periphery, offers a route to homeownership without resorting to formal loans, which are out of reach for many of these families. Residents consulted say that, despite the shortcomings, they prefer this option to renting in the city centre.

Comparison with other capitals in the region

Peripheral self-build housing is not unique to Praia and is repeated in other Cape Verdean cities with strong population growth. Urban planning experts say the difference lies in the pace: the capital of Santiago absorbs much of the country's internal migration, which speeds up the expansion of these settlements year after year. This demographic pressure makes the need for a coordinated institutional response more urgent here than on other islands.

The impact of missing services

The late arrival of running water and sanitation forces many families to rely for years on wells, cisterns or informal connections to the electricity grid. Community organisations are urging local authorities to prioritise extending infrastructure before these neighbourhoods grow denser, which would make the work more expensive and complicated. Residents themselves say the lack of basic services is their top grievance against Praia council.

Regularisation programmes, a slow process

The first pilot programmes to regularise land on the outskirts of Praia are moving slowly, hampered by a shortage of technical and budgetary resources. Municipal authorities admit that regularising each plot requires a topographical survey and legal verification that can take several years. In the meantime, self-build remains, for thousands of families, the only real route to owning a home.