The only reason a Lunar base/habitat would be needed aside from just a scientific endeavor (no expectation of return on investment, just for the sake of knowledge itself) is that the escape velocity is much lower than on earth so it wouldn’t require as much energy to launch rockets and satellites. A shipyard on the moon could be a realistic case scenario.

But, we aren’t producing spacecraft at a scale where it would be economical to do so yet, and there’s still the logistical issue of getting the fuel to the moon to perform launches without some kind of space elevator - impractical and hazardous.

Will we get to that point someday? Most likely, but right now any attempt at a permanent moon habitat is doomed to fail. Case in point, if governments are struggling to provide the ISS with necessary parts and technicians to keep it operational, doing the same thing but farther away is just not going to work.

I hope I live long enough to see it, but I’m not holding out hope that it will happen in my lifetime.