Speaking during a demonstration of the inventions, the Director of the Federal Public Assets Maintenance Department, Ibechile Egwudale, highlighted the ministry’s commitment to leveraging local materials and innovation to tackle the nation’s housing challenges.

“This innovation supports the use of locally sourced materials, reducing dependence on expensive imported products and minimising construction costs, especially for affordable housing,” Egwudale said.

The innovations showcased include manual and semi-automated machines for producing compressed earth blocks, pulverisers, sand sifters, sandcrete mixers, compacting and hoisting equipment, mini-tractors, as well as food-processing tools like ogbono seed cutters, de-stoners, and hammer mills.

According to Egwudale, the adoption of Compressed Earth Block technology will not only reduce construction expenses but also promote eco-friendly practices, create jobs, and speed up project delivery in both rural and urban areas.

The Honourable Minister of Housing, Ahmed Dangiwa, and the Permanent Secretary, Shuaib Belgore, commended the initiative and described it as a bold step toward localising Nigeria’s housing solutions.

“Carry out further research and make comparisons to see areas of modification and improvement,” the Minister advised. He also requested an extensive report on integrating brick construction into the national Social Housing Programme.

Belgore added, “Bring up the designs of the brick housing units to the Ministry for assessment,” while encouraging the director to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation in public infrastructure development.

The post Ministry Launches Local Innovation Drive to Cut Housing Costs appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

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Speaking to Daily Sun during the burial ceremony of his late father, Monzoure Lawal, in Lagos, Lawal underscored the significance of integrating local building materials into construction practices.

He recounted how his father, a respected community leader, instilled in him the value of utilizing local materials alongside foreign ones to ensure resilience in the face of material shortages.

Lawal expressed regret over his father’s passing, highlighting the invaluable lessons he learned from him. He described his father as a pillar of their community, revered for his leadership and advocacy for the use of local building materials in construction projects.

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Reflecting on his father’s legacy, Lawal emphasized the need for laws promoting the adoption of local building materials to address the challenges of rising housing costs. He stressed that harnessing indigenous resources could significantly mitigate the dependency on expensive imported materials, thereby reducing the financial burden on homeowners and tenants.

Lawal’s insights underscore the urgent need for policymakers and industry stakeholders to prioritize the utilization of local building materials as a sustainable solution to housing affordability challenges in Nigeria.

The post Former NBRRI CEO Urges Nigeria: Embrace Local Materials to Tackle Soaring Housing Costs appeared first on Housing TV Africa.