The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has expressed interest in expanding cooperation with TEC Engineering Company Nigeria Limited to support large-scale housing delivery and urban-renewal projects across the country.
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, disclosed this while receiving a delegation from the company during a courtesy visit in Abuja.
TEC Engineering Company Nigeria Limited is a subsidiary of China Railway International Group.
Belgore said Nigeria remained open to credible investments and partnerships capable of supporting national development, particularly efforts to provide affordable housing and reduce the country’s housing shortage.
According to him, the ministry is pursuing several housing-delivery options, including direct government construction, public-private partnerships and collaboration with private developers possessing the capacity to execute projects on a large scale.
He said the Federal Government intends to make significant progress in addressing Nigeria’s estimated housing deficit of about 15 million units over the next decade. Achieving this objective, he noted, would require stronger private-sector participation.
The Permanent Secretary explained that the government’s urban-renewal programme extends beyond residential construction to the provision and improvement of essential infrastructure.
These interventions include roads, water supply, drainage systems, electricity, healthcare facilities and other amenities needed to improve living conditions within communities.
Belgore also commended TEC Engineering for the progress recorded on the reconstruction of covered conduits and roads in Kano State. He acknowledged delays in budgetary releases and urged the company to maintain the pace of work while the relevant funding provisions were being addressed.
President of China Railway International Group, Zhao Jinxiang, thanked the ministry for awarding the Kano project to TEC Engineering.
Jinxiang said the company would continue working on the project despite challenges encountered at the site.
He added that the delegation’s visit was intended to identify further areas of cooperation with the housing ministry, including urban infrastructure, underground ducts, wastewater management and sewage-treatment projects.
The discussions signal potential collaboration between the Federal Government and the Chinese engineering company. However, no specific housing target, investment value, project location or implementation timetable was announced.
