Photo caption: Housing units, Photo credit: PUNCH
The Federal Government has announced a landmark initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda to deliver 77,400 social housing units across Nigeria and launch new Renewed Hope Cities in Lagos, Abuja, and Kano in a move to tackle the country’s housing deficit.
This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Ata, in a statement recently.
Speaking on the ministry’s mandate and the importance of external collaboration, Ata said, “The primary mandate of the ministry is to provide mass housing for Nigerians, and we welcome potential collaboration with Ms Allen Le and Partners International Investment Consulting Joint Company in achieving this goal.”
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to solving housing challenges through major investments and partnerships.
“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are constructing 3,000 housing units each in Lagos, Abuja, and Kano for Renewed Hope Cities and 250 housing units in each of the 36 states for the Estates,” he said.
Noting the scope of the ministry’s social housing efforts, the minister announced the nationwide rollout: “Additionally, the social housing initiative will deliver 77,400 housing units, 100 in each of the 774 local government areas,” he said.
Ata emphasised the importance of clarity in collaboration: “We need to know specifically how we will partner with you. Make a formal proposal to the ministry indicating where you want to collaborate with us. We look forward to seeing clearly the areas where you want us to come in,” he told the delegation.
Crucially, the minister noted that a significant portion of the new homes will be dedicated to vulnerable Nigerians: “30 per cent of the 77,400 social housing units will be given to the non-income Nigerians,” he stated, while commending “President Tinubu for maintaining his stand on 30 per cent even when 20 per cent was proposed to him.”
The visiting delegation, led by Allen Ke Nam of SV-NED Incorporated, expressed keen interest in investing in the housing sector, particularly in the construction of affordable housing.
He requested land from the government to facilitate their investment and underscored the socioeconomic benefits of the partnership.
“The collaboration will lead to job creation and skilled acquisition as new construction methods will be introduced in the course of construction,” Nam said.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Shuaib Belgore, also welcomed the initiative and expressed optimism over the potential collaboration, assuring the delegation of the Ministry’s full support.
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