By Akinsuroju Olubunmi
Housing Demand: 8,925 Nigerians apply for FG homes.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has announced that 8,925 expressions of interest have been submitted for the reallocation of houses built under the National Housing Programme. Housing Minister Ahmed Dangiwa revealed this at a ministerial press briefing marking the first anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in Abuja.
Initiated in 2021 under the Buhari administration, the National Housing Programme aims to provide adequate and affordable housing through homeownership and rental schemes for Nigerians in both urban and rural areas. Last year, the ministry revoked provisional letters of allocation given to subscribers due to a need to review the sale conditions and procedures.
The ministry called for reapplications for houses in 34 states after updating the conditions. During the briefing, Dangiwa explained that expressions of interest were readvertised with four subscription options to accommodate all income segments: outright purchase, mortgage, rent-to-own, and installment payment.
Dangiwa detailed, “We received a total of 8,925 expressions of interest. This includes 1,294 for outright purchase, 2,408 for mortgage, 2,184 for rent-to-own, and 3,039 for installment payment.”
He added that the first batch of successful applicants received their provisional allocation letters in May. “Last month, we released the first batch of new provisional allocation letters for outright payment to successful applicants.”
The minister also outlined the government’s plans to increase the availability of affordable housing units by 50,000 per year. Additionally, urban and slum upgrading programs have been initiated to improve living conditions, infrastructure, and basic services in informal settlements. Policies promoting inclusivity and addressing the needs of vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, women, and the elderly, have also been implemented.
“Government approved a total of N126.5bn from the 2023 supplementary and 2024 budgets for these projects, including slum upgrades and urban renewal. We are committed to implementing these reforms and initiatives to transform the housing sector and deliver on the renewed hope agenda for housing and urban development,” Dangiwa concluded.
housing, interest
Housing Demand: 8,925 Nigerians apply for FG homes