The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, says the ministry is currently working with the National Population Commission (NPC) to know the actual housing deficit in the country.

The minister made this known when he received the Acting Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Services, Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju, in his office in Abuja.

According to the minister, an in-house estimate had shown that the country needs to build 550,000 new homes annually.

He said if the country could build the estimated 550,000 houses every year for the next ten year, the housing needs of Nigerians would be met.

The Minister further revealed that the current administration has concluded plans to reform the Federal Housing agencies including the federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and Federal Housing Authority to enable them function optimally and efficiently.

He said such move would enable them to deliver decent, quality and affordable housing to Nigerians in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The minister said, “While the FMBN focuses on affordable housing using single digit interest rates and long tenors of up to 30-years to contributors to the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme, the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has the flexibility to develop houses for both the low- and high-income earners.”

The Minister told the Immigration Boss that two institutions FHA and FMBN would be able to meet and to deliver affordable housing to all cadres of the hardworking immigration officers.

Dangiwa further revealed that the Tinunu-led Federal Government has planned to build Renewed Hope Cities nationwide with the first phase delivering 34,500 homes in selected cities and state capitals across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

FG hints on building new homes to end housing deficit in Nigeria