Africa-Press – Nigeria. The Nigerian government on Wednesday launched the portal for the 300,000-unit national social housing scheme.
The intervention, a N200 billion facility is aimed at delivering 300,000 low-income houses and 1.8 million job opportunities.
Ripples Nigeria had earlier reported that the Federal Government plans to build 300,000 affordable housing units for Nigerians.
The Family Homes Fund, the federal government agency designated to implement the scheme, launched the portal Wednesday in Abuja.
The Managing Director of the Fund, Femi Adewole, who spoke during the media launch, said the portal will enable the housing allocation to operate in a transparent manner.
“Individuals can log on the site to register interest in specific projects. For those who are not able to navigate modern technology, we will collaborate with other partners, including mortgage banks and the co-operative societies to assist.
“Secondly, it provides an opportunity for a group of young professionals with qualifications, skills, or experience in building and construction to register interest in participation as SME Partners. Typically, SME Partners will be allowed to build about 20 – 30 units of housing initially, going on to larger opportunities as they grow. We expect to hire about 6,000 SME Delivery Partners during the life of the project.
“Finally, the portal will provide an opportunity for local manufacturers of building materials such as doors, windows, ironmongery, etc to register interest in participation as bulk suppliers into the project. This will help us achieve one of the project objectives of ensuring up to 90 per cent local inputs by 2021. It will have the opportunity to revitalise parts of our manufacturing sector and create more jobs”.
The agency also introduced the sample homes it built, each costing N1.4 million and N1.8 million for the one bedroom and two-bedroom units respectively at Dei-Dei area of Abuja.
The sample structures will “ test acceptability with potential occupiers and you as housing professionals. Drawing on the feedback gotten to adapt and continuously improve and to show ‘that it’s not easy, but it’s possible!’”
The Federal Capital Territory and 20 state which include Osun, Ogun, Enugu, Delta, Bauchi, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Federal Capital Territory, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, Cross River, Sokoto, Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Borno, and Yobe states have indicated interest in joining the initiative.
The social housing scheme which was approved by the Federal Executive Council and supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria is one of the planned schemes under the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) prepared by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-led Economic Sustainability Committee.
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