Modular buildings for developing countries

Affordable housing for the middle class

There is a huge housing deficit in the East African region due to growth in population combined with a demand for decent housing from a steadily increasing middle class.

Estimates suggest that by 2050 Africa’s population will have doubled, reaching 2.4 billion. 80 percent of the increase in population will take place in urban areas with the risk of creating large slum areas.

Thus, the market for constructing affordable quality housing in the entire region has a large untapped potential for development.

Governments are actively searching for ways to make housing available and affordable for the population.

The Danish company DMS Africa specialises in building pre-fabricated module-based structures for the African market.

The company specialises in setting up structures for UN or NGO sites, temporary offices, emergency housing, military applications and modular buildings as well as project and facility management.

DMS Africa has been working in Africa since 2009 and has been focusing mainly on South Sudan, Kenya and Uganda with affordable and durable structural solutions. 

In Uganda, DMS Africa are partners in the One Stop Shop, and it is buildings from DMS Africa that are used for the One Stop Shop’s sanitary facilities. Besides the modular solutions, DMS Africa is now expanding their portfolio to cover more traditional building as well, says Executive Director Flemming Pedersen.

“In South Sudan, we are gradually seeing a shift in the market from pre-fab container housing towards more traditional building techniques. As the country is rebuilding, there is a need for structures that are less temporary. This means that we will also be expanding the different types of structures that we build,” he says.