The Federal Government has expressed readiness to partner with credible investors to address Nigeria’s housing deficit, saying it is willing to provide land across the country for mass housing projects.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Darma, disclosed this on Tuesday in a statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Badamasi Haiba, after a Chinese delegation, led by its Chief Engineer, Lewis Chima, sought a partnership with the Federal Government to deliver large-scale affordable housing across the country.

Darma commended the company for its interest in investing in Nigeria’s housing sector, noting that the proposal aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises expanding access to affordable and sustainable housing through public-private partnerships.

The Minister said the ministry remained committed to creating an enabling environment for genuine investors by facilitating access to land and providing institutional support for successful project implementation.

“Our mandate is to ensure that more Nigerians have access to affordable and decent housing. We are therefore ready and willing to provide land in Abuja, across the states and in local government areas, subject to due process and the fulfilment of all statutory requirements. This proposal is encouraging because it aligns with the Renewed Hope Housing Programme and our determination to reduce the nation’s housing deficit,” Darma said.

Speaking during the presentation, Chima said the company was attracted to Nigeria because of its huge housing demand and economic potential.

He noted that Nigeria’s estimated housing deficit of about 17 million units underscored the need for large-scale interventions, adding that the proposed project would complement the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Housing Programme by providing affordable, durable and rapidly deployable housing solutions across the country’s six geopolitical zones.

“The objective of this project is not merely to construct houses, but to develop sustainable communities through modern industrialised construction technology. We believe this initiative will make a significant contribution towards closing Nigeria’s housing gap while supporting the Federal Government’s vision of affordable housing for all,” he stated.

Chima explained that the company planned to deploy advanced prefabricated construction technology under the Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing model, integrating project design, financing, construction and delivery into a single framework.

According to him, the technology would enable the delivery of the proposed 10,000 housing units within 30 months while reducing construction costs, improving quality, shortening completion timelines, and strengthening project risk management through international financing support.

He also assured the ministry of the company’s commitment to establishing a long-term partnership with the Federal Government, expressing confidence that the project would help reduce the housing deficit, create jobs, promote technology transfer, and support sustainable urban development.

Following the presentation, the minister directed the constitution of a committee comprising relevant directors to undertake a comprehensive review of the proposal to guide the ministry’s next line of action.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, also assured the delegation of the ministry’s commitment to promoting strategic partnerships that would advance the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda and accelerate the delivery of affordable, quality and sustainable housing across the country.

Nigeria is estimated to have a housing deficit of about 17 million units, a challenge the Federal Government has said it is tackling through the Renewed Hope Housing Programme.

The initiative is designed to expand access to affordable housing through a three-tier model comprising Renewed Hope Cities, Renewed Hope Estates and Renewed Hope Social Housing Estates, with the government relying on public-private partnerships to accelerate delivery.

The ministry has said construction has commenced on more than 10,000 housing units across 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory under the programme. Key projects include the 3,112-unit Renewed Hope City in Karsana, Abuja; a 2,000-unit Renewed Hope City in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos; and another in Kano, alongside 250-unit Renewed Hope Estates in several states as part of efforts to reduce the housing deficit and improve access to affordable homes. (The PUNCH)

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