The Federal Government has unveiled new plans to address Nigeria’s housing deficit through cooperative societies, digital finance systems, and expanded public-private partnerships under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister for Cooperative Affairs, Aliyu Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday.

He said the programme is designed to reposition cooperative societies as key drivers of affordable housing delivery, financial inclusion, and community development.

According to him, cooperatives remain a critical tool for economic empowerment and shared prosperity, particularly in the housing sector.

“Cooperatives remain one of the most powerful vehicles for economic inclusion, community mobilisation, self-help development, social solidarity, and shared prosperity,” he said.

He explained that cooperative housing systems allow citizens to pool resources, reduce costs, and access financing collectively, thereby improving access to home ownership.

Abdullahi added that cooperative housing has proven effective globally in reducing homelessness, strengthening communities, and improving social welfare outcomes.

He noted that the Federal Government is also planning to establish a Cooperative Bank of Nigeria to support housing finance, infrastructure development, and community-based projects.

The proposed bank, he said, will operate under a cooperative ownership structure and focus on underserved groups, especially informal sector workers.

He stressed that digital transformation would be central to the success of the initiative.

“Africa’s cooperative housing ecosystem cannot operate effectively in the modern era without robust digital infrastructure,” he said.

According to him, the government will digitise cooperative operations nationwide to improve transparency, financial management, credit access, and investor confidence.

He added that digital finance platforms would simplify mortgage repayments, project monitoring, and member verification systems.

The initiative, he said, will prioritise women, youth, persons with disabilities, rural communities, farmers, informal workers, and low-income earners.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Darma, also described cooperative housing as one of the most practical solutions to Africa’s housing challenges.

He said technology-driven finance systems would help improve mortgage administration and expand housing access across both formal and informal sectors.

Speaking through the statement, the Founder of Nigeria Integrated Social Housing Cooperative Ltd., Saheed Adelakun, criticised the traditional Public-Private Partnership model and called for a Public-Private-People Partnership approach.

He said direct involvement of intended homeowners is key to achieving affordability in housing delivery.

“We need houses that low and middle-income earners can truly afford. Government, developers, cooperatives, and homebuyers must work together,” he said.

The President of the Cooperative Federation of Nigeria, Hannatu Mershak, revealed that the federation currently oversees more than 50,000 cooperatives with over 30 million members nationwide.

She called for stronger collaboration between government, financial institutions, and private investors to address Nigeria’s growing housing shortage.

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The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has urged African countries to adopt cooperative housing as a practical and inclusive strategy for addressing the continent’s growing housing deficit.

Abdullahi made the call in Abuja during the Cooperative Housing Summit Africa 2026, themed: “Catalysing Adequate Housing for All Through Cooperatives: Leveraging Digital Finance for Cooperative Housing.”

He described the summit as more than a conventional gathering, noting that it represents a strategic movement aimed at positioning cooperative housing as a sustainable model for solving Africa’s housing challenges.

According to the minister, housing remains a major driver of productivity and national development, yet millions of Africans—particularly low and middle-income earners—continue to struggle with inadequate access to decent shelter.

“Housing is a catalyst for productivity and indeed national development. Yet, across Africa and indeed Nigeria, millions of our citizens continue to face severe housing challenges,” he said.

He noted that farmers, artisans, traders, transport workers, students, women, youth, persons with disabilities, informal sector workers, and vulnerable communities are among those most affected by rising housing costs and limited access to affordable financing.

Abdullahi explained that conventional mortgage systems alone cannot adequately address Africa’s housing crisis, stressing that cooperative housing models have become increasingly important.

“The reality before us is clear. Conventional housing finance systems alone cannot solve Africa’s housing crisis. This is why the cooperative model has become more relevant than ever before,” he added.

The minister said cooperative housing has proven successful globally in reducing homelessness, promoting affordable homeownership, and strengthening communities.

He disclosed plans for the introduction of a National Cooperative Digital Architecture Platform designed to improve governance and trust within the cooperative system.

According to him, the platform will integrate identity management, financial intelligence systems, operational processes, and regulatory compliance frameworks.

Abdullahi further stressed that solving Africa’s housing challenge would require collaboration among governments, cooperative societies, private developers, fintech companies, telecommunications firms, development finance institutions, and community organisations.

He urged governments across the continent to strengthen housing policies, simplify land administration procedures, improve regulatory frameworks, and provide incentives for affordable housing investment.

He also encouraged cooperative institutions to prioritise transparency, innovation, and good governance practices.

“The cooperative sector is a sleeping giant, and we have begun to awaken it,” he stated.

The minister also commended the Cooperative Housing Africa Group, Cooperative Housing Federation of Nigeria, Federal Department of Cooperatives, Cooperative Housing International, GBB Ventures, and other partners for creating a platform capable of transforming housing development across Africa.

Earlier, a representative of the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Pemi Temitope, described cooperative housing as a critical solution to Africa’s housing problems.

He said cooperative structures provide practical opportunities for affordable homeownership through collective savings and shared responsibility.

Temitope added that digital finance tools could significantly improve transparency, credit accessibility, and mortgage administration for citizens in both formal and informal sectors.

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