The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to recover approximately 250,000 housing units from abandoned projects across the country. This initiative is part of efforts to increase the nation's housing stock and provide affordable homes for Nigerians, including civil servants. The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Muttaqha Darma, revealed this information in Abuja during the presentation of houses to 430 staff members of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
Dr. Darma stated that the government is taking stock of abandoned housing projects nationwide and engaging state governors on the possibility of acquiring some of these projects for allocation to civil servants and other Nigerians. The government aims to expand access to affordable housing, with the Renewed Hope Housing Programme being a key initiative. This program has already provided housing to 430 staff members of the NMDPRA, with projects located in Abuja, Kano, and Lagos.
The high cost of housing in Nigeria has placed considerable financial pressure on families, with many workers spending between 40 and 60 percent of their income on rent. Dr. Darma emphasized that reducing this proportion would ease the financial burden on families and enable them to meet other basic needs. The government is working with stakeholders and regulators in the housing sector to significantly increase the number of affordable houses available to Nigerians.
The country's housing deficit is estimated to be around 16 million housing units, with high costs of land, building materials, and infrastructure making homeownership difficult for many workers. To address this, the government is exploring various financing mechanisms, including access to the National Housing Fund and mortgage facilities, particularly for workers in the informal sector. The planned social housing programme will target communities across the country, including the 774 local government areas.
The government's housing strategy involves partnerships among federal institutions, state governments, mortgage institutions, developers, and private investors. Dr. Darma urged relevant agencies to focus on delivering tangible housing projects to Nigerians. The Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Rabiu Umar, commended the Federal Government and other partners for supporting the housing initiative, which aims to provide greater security and stability for beneficiaries.
The housing initiative provides different categories of housing units, including two-bedroom and three-bedroom flats, and three-bedroom terraces with boys' quarters. A total of 365 housing units are earmarked for Abuja, with additional units to be delivered in Kano and Lagos. The Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Shehu Osidi, congratulated the beneficiaries and commended the collaboration among NMDPRA, the Renewed Hope Housing Programme, and other stakeholders.
The Renewed Hope Housing Programme is one of the Federal Government's major interventions aimed at expanding access to affordable housing and addressing the country's housing deficit. The programme's success will depend on the government's ability to recover and redevelop abandoned housing projects, as well as its collaboration with stakeholders in the housing sector. The initiative is expected to have a positive impact on the lives of many Nigerians, particularly low- and middle-income earners.
Key points
- The Federal Government aims to recover 250,000 housing units from abandoned projects to increase Nigeria's housing stock.
- The government is working to reduce the proportion of workers' income spent on rent from 40-60 percent to a more manageable level.
- The Renewed Hope Housing Programme has already provided housing to 430 staff members of the NMDPRA, with plans to expand to other communities across the country.
