Family Homes Funds Limited (FHFL), in partnership with Post-Service Housing Development Limited (PHDL) and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), has commissioned 50 energy-efficient homes for the spouses of Nigeria’s fallen military personnel in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The two-bedroom detached homes are located at the PHDL Pacesetter Estate in the Akobo area of Ibadan and were delivered as part of an intervention aimed at providing secure and dignified accommodation for families of military personnel who died in service.
The commissioning brought together representatives of the Federal Government, Nigerian Army, development partners and other stakeholders.
Representing the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FHFL, Abdul Mutallab Mukhtar, the Executive Director, Operations, Dr Henry Emeka Inegbu, said the initiative was designed to provide stability and security for the families of fallen heroes.
He said the intervention went beyond providing physical structures, noting that FHFL also planned to support the beneficiaries with skills development and livelihood opportunities to strengthen their economic independence.
“This initiative is about providing the wives of our fallen heroes with the security and stability that comes with having a home of their own,” Inegbu said.
He said the husbands of the beneficiaries had given their lives in service to Nigeria and that the country had a responsibility to provide meaningful support to the families they left behind.
According to him, the project reflects FHFL’s approach of combining housing delivery with sustainability and broader social impact.
The homes were formally commissioned on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, by the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Auwalu Mahmuda.
Representing the Chief of Army Staff, Mahmuda reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to initiatives that support the families of fallen personnel.
He said the Army recognised the sacrifices made by its personnel and would continue to support interventions that provide housing and other forms of assistance to their families.
According to him, the homes would provide the beneficiaries with greater security, stability and dignity while acknowledging the sacrifices made by their husbands.
He commended FHFL and PHDL for bringing the project to completion and acknowledged the contributions of the other partners involved.
Homes equipped with solar power and other facilities
The housing project incorporates energy-efficient features and supporting infrastructure intended to improve living conditions for the beneficiaries.
FHFL said the homes were equipped with solar power systems, while the estate also has solar-powered streetlights, industrial boreholes and a water distribution system.
The provision of the infrastructure is intended to ensure that beneficiaries have access to basic services alongside the housing units.
The project was delivered through collaboration between the Nigerian Army, PHDL and FHFL, with NASENI also contributing to the initiative.
PHDL Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Major General Kevin Ukandu, said the project represented more than the provision of accommodation.
He said the homes were intended to give widows and their families a foundation of security, stability and dignity as they rebuild their lives after losing their loved ones.
Ukandu also reaffirmed PHDL’s commitment to working with government agencies, state governments and other partners to deliver housing interventions that support military personnel, veterans and their families.
Skills development planned for beneficiaries
In addition to homeownership, the project includes plans to provide skills development and livelihood support for the beneficiaries.
FHFL said the programme would help equip the women with economic skills and create opportunities for greater self-reliance.
Inegbu said the organisation’s support for the beneficiaries would therefore extend beyond the handover of the houses.
The aim, he said, was to help the families build sustainable livelihoods while having access to secure homes.
The project aligns with FHFL’s broader social housing mandate of expanding access to quality and affordable housing, particularly for vulnerable households.
Keys presented to beneficiaries
The commissioning included the presentation of keys to the beneficiaries, with the widows receiving their homes amid expressions of appreciation.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Grace Abiodun Adenodi thanked the Nigerian Army, the Chief of Army Staff, PHDL and FHFL for the intervention.
She said the gesture demonstrated that the sacrifices made by their late husbands had not been forgotten.
The project also provided housing support to a soldier who was wounded in the line of duty. A housing unit was presented to Lance Corporal Olufemi Olalekan, who sustained facial injuries from an improvised explosive device.
The commissioning of the 50 homes follows earlier discussions between FHFL and PHDL on expanding their partnership in housing development and welfare interventions for military personnel and their families.
PHDL had previously said the partnership could be replicated in other locations as part of efforts to provide additional housing support to military families.
The Ibadan project therefore combines social housing, energy efficiency and welfare support in an intervention targeted at families who lost loved ones in military service.
