By Abubakar Yunusa
President Bola Tinubu has unveiled plans for the proposed Tinubu Mass Social Housing Scheme, aimed at delivering about 158,800 affordable housing units across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas in two phases as part of efforts to tackle the country’s housing deficit.
The President disclosed this on Tuesday at the Chief Executive Officers’ Forum of the 20th edition of the African International Housing Show in Abuja, where he reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to expanding access to decent and affordable housing for Nigerians.
Represented by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaka Rabe Darma, Tinubu said each of the 774 local government areas would receive 200 housing units under the proposed scheme.
He explained that the initiative would complement the Federal Government’s New Hope Housing Programme and provide more Nigerians with opportunities to own or occupy decent homes.
Tinubu said the government was also creating an enabling environment to attract both local and foreign investment into Nigeria’s housing and infrastructure sectors.
According to him, addressing Africa’s housing challenge requires stronger collaboration among governments, financial institutions, development partners, the private sector, professional bodies and organised communities.
He described the African International Housing Show as an important platform for policy dialogue, knowledge sharing, technology transfer, investment promotion and regional cooperation.
The President said Nigeria remained committed to working with other African countries, regional institutions and development partners to promote inclusive urban development, climate-resilient infrastructure, sustainable cities and affordable housing.
Tinubu noted that beyond constructing houses, the government was investing in infrastructure through the National Urban Renewal Programme by providing roads, drainage systems, water supply, sanitation facilities, street lighting and environmental improvements in underserved communities.
He added that the administration had commenced the National Housing Data Programme to establish Nigeria’s first integrated housing database for evidence-based planning, mortgage development, investment decisions and policy formulation.
The President also said efforts were ongoing to modernise land administration through the National Land Information System, geospatial mapping and improved land governance to enhance transparency, reduce transaction costs and simplify access to land for development.
According to him, the government is promoting local content by supporting building materials manufacturing hubs and encouraging indigenous technologies to reduce dependence on imports, lower construction costs, create jobs and strengthen Nigeria’s industrial base.
“Housing has become a major platform for economic development under this policy framework,” he said.
Earlier, the founder of the African International Housing Show, Festus Adebayo, said this year’s theme, Housing Solutions for Low Income and Informal Workers in Africa, reflects one of the continent’s most pressing development challenges.
He lamented that millions of teachers, artisans, traders, farmers, transport workers, market women, security personnel and young professionals remained excluded from formal housing systems despite their contributions to national economies.
Adebayo said housing should not remain the privilege of a few but an opportunity available to every hardworking African.
He called for bold leadership, innovative financing, effective land reforms, sustainable infrastructure, modern construction technologies and stronger partnerships between governments, the private sector and development finance institutions to bridge Africa’s housing gap.
Also speaking, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Shehu Usman Osidi, said the bank had expanded access to affordable housing finance through various mortgage products, including the non-interest NIT Mortgage Loan.
Osidi said the ethical financing option was introduced to promote financial inclusion by providing contributors with interest-free access to home financing.
He said the bank’s financing models were designed to support Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, as well as workers in both the formal and informal sectors, with viable pathways to home ownership.
Osidi expressed confidence that deliberations at the housing forum would produce practical policy recommendations, innovative financing models and stronger partnerships capable of improving housing delivery across Africa.
He added that unlocking the housing sector’s full potential would stimulate economic growth, create jobs, attract investment and improve the quality of life for millions of Nigerians.
