Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), in partnership with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), has concluded plans for the commencement of the implementation of a national affordable housing delivery programme.
The programme, which is targeted at Nigerian workers, is aimed at boosting housing development in the country.
The FMBN, in a statement by its Group Head, Corporate Communications, Zubaida Umar, said the housing scheme is a product of a strategic collaboration between FMBN and the country’s leading labour unions towards gradually addressing in a structured and sustainable manner, the housing requirement of their members currently estimated to be about 3,750,000 housing units.
“This includes fast-tracking the provision of safe, decent, quality and affordable housing to registered members of NLC, TUC, and NECA that also contribute to the National Housing Fund (NHF), which the FMBN manages.
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“The pilot phase of the programme aims to deliver 2,800 housing units in fourteen sites across the country. This includes 200 houses in each of the six zones in addition to Lagos and Abuja,” the FMBN said.
The FMBN added that the ground-breaking ceremony of the project is billed for September at the 100-unit housing estate for Voice of Nigeria (VoN) in Abuja.
“This will be followed by successive launches of the programme in two states: Yola, Adamawa and Umuahia, in Abia.
“Key features of the housing programme are the emphasis on affordability and the focus on low and middle-income classes of workers.
“Planned house types therefore include fully finished semi-detached bungalows and blocks of Flats of one bedroom, two bedrooms, and three bedrooms respectively.
“The designs of the houses are based on local and international social housing models that have been tested and proven to deliver housing units that are structurally strong, livable and at cost effective rates that fit the income of the targeted beneficiaries.
“To ensure successful execution of the programme, the design and implementation plan was based on extensive deliberations and recommendation of housing experts.
“They drew from the theoretical and practical experiences of housing stakeholders, varied inputs, and consultations with developers, private sector players, research and analysis of housing projects locally and abroad,” the FMBN added.