Presidential Research & Communications Unit - Land Tenure Changes & Home Ownership

The Federal Government, in conjunction with the private sector, is planning to construct more than one thousand housing units in different parts of the country.

The measure is part of government’s efforts to provide affordable housing for the people.

Works and Housing minister, Dr Hassan Lawal said in Abuja at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with nine private developers on Wednesday March 18 that new institutional reforms have been put in place by government to assist private developers perform optimally.

Dr Lawal asked the private developers to see the opportunity as a challenge to contribute to the growth of the nation.

“I have confidence that the stage has now been set for the participation of the private sector in housing development in Nigeria. The challenge before us all is to take advantage of the various reforms of government and contribute to the growth of the national economy.

Signing the MoU on behalf of the Federal Government, Minister of State for Works and Housing, Mrs Grace Ekpiwere called for improvement in the quality of building materials with a view to bringing down the cost of housing.

The minister also urged the nation’s technical institutions to address the issue of low quality draughtsman if the building industry must grow.

The Memorandum of Understanding and Lease Agreement was signed with real estate developers to construct decent and affordable housing in Niger, Plateau, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Ogun and Bauchi states.

The project will cover the rest of the country subsequently.

Land tenure changes and housing ownership are among the seven point agenda of the Yar’Adua administration which recently submitted a bill to the National Assembly for the amendment of the Land Use Act.