From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Federal Government has approved N126.5 billion from the 2023 supplementary and 2024 budget for
the commencement and actualisation of Renewed Hope Estates and Cities.
Speaking at the Ministerial Sectorial Briefing in Abuja, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Architect Musa Dangiwa said that the projects, are sited in 12 states of the federation.
“The estates are sited in Katsina, Yobe, Gombe, Abia, Nasarawa, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Sokoto, Oyo, and Osun. The cities are in Abuja, Yobe, and Lagos.
Contractors, he said, have been mobilised and have commenced work to deliver a total of 3,500 and the government has also signed an MoU with reputable developers to develop 100 thousand housing units nationwide.
“Work has commenced for 3,112 housing units under the public private partnership (PPP) bringing the total number of housing units currently under construction to 6,612.
“We have also made cross subsidy a key part of our efforts to enhance affordability for low-medium income earners to foster integrated living. Under this concept, the housing units built in the Renewed Hope Cities will be sold at commercial rate while a substantial percentage will be sold at concessionary rates to low- and medium-income Nigerians who are members of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.
“The Renewed Hope Housing Programme is designed to be a catalyst for economic growth. The construction and development of these new areas will generate employment opportunities, stimulate local businesses, and attract investments. The 50,000 units that we plan to deliver under phase 1 will create 1,250,000 direct and indirect construction jobs. This is in addition to the value chain effects of purchase, supply of building materials, businesses around the construction sites, etc.” Dangiwa stated.
The minister also noted that his ministry is rolling out another batch of estates comprising 250-housing units each in 6 additional states totalling 1,500 housing units.
“From the Ministry’s 2024 Approved Budget, we are also rolling out another batch of Renewed Hope Estates comprising 250-housing units each in six additional states totalling 1,500 housing units.
Under the National Housing Programme, (NHP), Dangiwa said that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has taken pragmatic steps to fast-track the sale and occupation of the housing units across the country.
“We advertised Expression of Interest forms with 4 windows of subscription to give room for all income segments of Nigerians as follows: Outright payment Mortgage, Rent – to – Own and Instalment payment.
“We received a total of 8,925 Expression of Interest. This comprises 1,294 for outright purchase, 2,408 for mortgage, 2,184 for rent-to-own and 3,039 for Instalment payment.” he noted.
Under Phase 1 of the Slum Upgrading Programme, the ministry, he noted, plans a total of 26 sites nationwide. This, Dangiwa , explained, includes four sites in each of the six regions of the country totaling twenty-four and two in the FCT. The key services to be provided at the identified sites will include water supply, solar streetlights, rehabilitation of access roads, construction of drainages and waste management and sanitation services amongst others