The Federal Ministry of Housing has confirmed that internal checks on a 753-unit residential estate in Abuja linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele are nearly complete.
A senior official in the ministry, who asked not to be named, said the internal review was set up to evaluate the physical status of the estate. The official stressed that the committee’s work is entirely separate from the ongoing corruption case involving Emefiele and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“Our team is almost done with its review. The findings will be made public soon, though we don’t have a release date yet,” the official said.
The estate, which the EFCC claims was developed using public funds during Emefiele’s tenure, remains one of several properties under scrutiny in the agency’s wider investigation. It was previously seized as part of ongoing legal action.
Ministry sources said the current committee’s job is strictly technical. Its goal is to confirm how much of the project has been completed, how many housing units are ready, and what is needed to finish the rest.
“This is not about Mr. Emefiele,” the official explained. “We are simply assessing the project’s status so the Minister can review it and brief the President.
The government has expressed interest in eventually opening the estate to buyers, especially those in the low- and middle-income brackets, aligning with its housing reform goals.
However, Emefiele’s legal team has pushed back. In a letter sent to the ministry, his lawyers requested a halt to any sale or transfer of the estate until ongoing legal proceedings are resolved. They argue that disposing of the estate now could interfere with the appeal process.
Still, the ministry remains firm that its role is limited to administrative oversight.
“From our end, this is just a technical assessment of a housing project. Legal ownership and related matters are for the proper authorities to determine,” the source said.
The estate has now become a high-profile symbol of the federal government’s anti-corruption push, as authorities juggle legal accountability with the urgent need to close Nigeria’s housing gap.
