The Federal Government has outlined an ambitious housing initiative aimed at generating over two million jobs across Nigeria through the construction of 77,400 housing units nationwide.
According to a report originally published by The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the Minister of Housing, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, disclosed the plan during an engagement with the House of Representatives Committee on Housing and Habitat at the National Assembly in Abuja.
The project, under the Renewed Hope Social Housing Programme, proposes the construction of 100 housing units in each of the country’s 774 local government areas. It is designed not only to alleviate the country’s housing deficit but also to stimulate local economies through job creation in construction and related sectors.
Dangiwa explained that an estimated 27 jobs would be generated per site, spanning roles such as bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing, transport, and building material supply. “The Renewed Hope Social Housing Programme is expected to create jobs for over two million Nigerians by targeting the grassroots with 100-unit housing developments in every local government area,” he stated.
As part of the broader Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the programme is also intended to cater to low-income earners, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and vulnerable populations across the country. The Minister emphasised that once construction begins, economic activities in surrounding communities would increase significantly, benefitting local artisans, suppliers, and other actors along the construction value chain.
The funding model, as explained by Dangiwa, will rely on the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund, pending the final endorsement of relevant documentation by President Tinubu. He further revealed that plans are underway to present a bill to the National Assembly to establish a National Social Housing Fund, which will provide long-term financial backing for the programme.
“The establishment of a sustainable financing structure is critical to ensure this housing effort does not end up as a short-lived intervention,” Dangiwa noted, while urging the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to prioritise disbursement to the Housing Ministry, given the sector’s role in economic growth and social stability.
In response, the Chairman of the House Committee on Housing and Habitat, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin Kofa, pledged the committee’s full backing for the initiative. He affirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to working with the Ministry to resolve any legislative or operational challenges, describing the housing plan as “a transformative project with the potential to reach every Nigerian household, both directly and indirectly.”
As Nigeria continues to grapple with housing shortfalls and unemployment, the Renewed Hope Social Housing Programme stands as a strategic intervention to address both, while strengthening the nation’s economic foundation from the grassroots up.
