The federal government, in collaboration with Shelter Afrique Development (ShafDB), is poised to deliver 5,000 housing units as part of its initiative to provide housing for Nigerians.
Housing and Urban Development Minister Ahmed Dangiwa announced this during a discussion on the ministry’s accomplishments in his first year in office.
“Through this partnership, the Pan-African housing institution will offer advisory services and financing to qualified developers as part of the Renewed Hope Program. We are targeting approximately 5,000 housing units in this pilot project.
“This marks the first time the ministry has engaged in such a direct and practical partnership with a multilateral institution for the construction of homes for Nigerians. Nigeria is the second-largest shareholder in ShafDB, following Kenya, with a share subscription exceeding $29 million,” he stated.
Dangiwa expressed his commitment to exploring all available housing financing options to address the significant housing deficit facing the country.
He noted that upon taking office, an action plan was established to align with the priorities and goals set by President Bola Tinubu.
According to him, this action plan is designed to guide the ministry in implementing reforms and initiatives aimed at increasing access to affordable housing and unlocking the potential within the housing sector.
“While we may not have extensive financial resources, we must leverage our position as a government. For too long, we have not fully utilized our relationships with bilateral and multilateral institutions, including those in which we have significant stakes.
“We have observed how smaller African nations have capitalized on these housing development institutions to enhance housing for their citizens, while we have remained passive. In this past year, we have taken steps to change that,” he concluded.
