By Dele Ogbodo
The Ministers of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa and his State counterpart, Alh. Abdullahi Gwarzo, on Thursday advanced reasons for firming up partnership deal with Shelter Afrique Development (ShafDB) on construction of affordable housing for Nigerians.
According to Dangiwa, under the partnership, the pan-African housing institution will support Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Programme with advisory services and financing of competent developers in the country.
Speaking on their achievements and challenges in the last one year on housing delivery in Abuja, he said the deal will start with 5,000 housing units in the pilot.
Dangiwa, said: “This will be the first time that the Ministry is entering into such a practical and direct partnership with a multi-lateral institution for the construction of homes for Nigerians.
Recall that Nigeria is the second largest shareholder in ShafDB only after Kenya with over $29 million share subscription.
He thanked the Managing Director of the Bank, Mr. Thierno Habib Hann, for coming from Kenya to grace his one year anniversary in office.
He said over the past one year the Ministry has recorded substantial progress towards achieving of set goals with the laying of solid foundation for sustainable housing sector reforms that will touch on all critical value points and problem areas in Nigeria’s housing eco-system.
He said: “As you may recall, in January, we inaugurated 4 housing sector reform task teams with a focus on producing blueprints for strengthening federal housing institutions including FMBN and FHA, streamlining land administration, ensuring multi-agency collaboration and establishment of building materials manufacturing hubs in each of the six geo-political zones.
“Today, I am happy to report that despite several challenges, these teams of professionals and their leaders have over the past 6 months, worked hard and made a lot of personal sacrifices towards producing their reports.”
To make it easy for Nigerians to own the homes, he said the ministry under its programme, launched an Online Housing Portal which is transparent, easy-to-use, integrated web-based application for the sale of homes from application to payment, adding that it is a One-Stop Shop.
He said: “You don’t need to lobby anyone to own a home under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme.
“All you need do is visit: www.renewedhopehomes.fmhud.gov.ng, check the house you want, in the state that you want, apply, pay and print a provisional letter of offer.
He gave kudos to the Ministry for making substantial progress in increasing the housing stock for Nigerians, adding that with the groundbreaking for 6,612 housing units across 13 locations nationwide under the Ministry’s Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme.
“This includes the 3,112-housing unit Renewed Hope City in Karsana Abuja, under Public Private Partnership (PPP). Twelve other locations are being funded under the 2023 Supplementary Budget and they include the 500 Renewed Hope City in Kano and 250 Renewed Hope Estates in Katsina, Yobe, Gombe, Sokoto, Ebonyi, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Benue, Nasarawa, Osun and Oyo.
“The Renewed Hope Cities comprise one, two, and three- bedroom blocks of flats; two-, three- and four-bedroom terraces, four-bedroom duplexes, and five-bedroom duplexes. Renewed Hope Estates to cater to low- and medium-income earners comprising one-, two and three-bedroom semi-detached bungalows.
“Construction is ongoing at all these project sites and the plan is for the developers to complete them within three months. As we speak some of them have reached roof levels.
“They are evenly distributed with two in each of the 6 geopolitical zones of the country. They also cut across all party lines as the only criteria being States that provided free and unencumbered land first.
“Once they are completed, Nigerians can own them through a broad range of affordable ownership options. This includes single digit and up to 30-year mortgage loans to be provided by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Rent-to-Own options where beneficiaries can move in and pay towards homeownership on monthly, quarterly, or annual instalments, Outright Purchase for high income earners or instalmental payments.
“At an average of 25 jobs per house, these 6,612 housing units are providing jobs for over 165,000 skilled and unskilled Nigerians. This is in addition to the value chain effects of purchase, supply of building materials, businesses around the construction sites.”