Business

FG opens portal for sale of 5,000 housing units

Published

5 years ago

November 13, 2021

Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola

Over 5,000 houses are up for sale across 34 states of the federation built by the Federal Government, Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said.
He said Nigerians could now apply for the houses built under the current Federal Government’s National Housing Programme (NHP) after the launch of the portal on Friday.
He spoke at the formal launch of the portal, https:// nhp.worksandhousing.gov.ng.
According to him, the available 5,000 plus housing units range from 1, 2 to 3 bedroom bungalows and blocks of flats in any location of their choice.
The ceremony was attended by prominent stakeholders and media executives including the President, Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mr. Mustapha Isah. Fashola said the decision by the ministry to sell the available houses online was to bring credibility to the exercise and reduce human intervention as well as give all categories of buyers a level playing field.
The minister said, “We converge here just to introduce a portal on which the National Housing Programme pilot will be offered for sale to the public. What that means is that we will not be selling printed forms, the forms are online and this allows for more openness, limits human intervention and any disposition to any underhand practice”.

READ ALSO

Clarifying that the decision to adopt online sale of forms and limit human intervention was not an indictment of the staff, he added, “It is just to make the system more accountable and people seeing credibility if they win and if they are not successful they will equally know that the system has at least given them a fair chance”.
Fashola, who described the launch of the portal as “the end game of our economic objective”, explained that the government did not just set out to build houses, adding that the project has served many purposes, the first of which was to test what sort of houses Nigerians would like to live in so as to make policies to guide its agencies and parastatals, as well as other stakeholders, to build what could be acceptable in the markets.
“We are the policy head of those parastatals like the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and so on. We are saying that the National Housing Programme had not succeeded in the past and some of the houses built then still remain empty. So we conducted a national survey across the zones just to find out what is acceptable”, the Minister said.
The findings, he said, were that while in the Northern part of the country there was preference for bungalow and large expanse of land which encouraged building horizontally, in the Southern part, there seemed to be acceptance for blocks of flats and lack of space which made building vertically necessary.
Emphasizing that the current National Housing Programme is a pilot or demonstration scheme meant, among others, to galvanize private sector participation, Fashola explained further, “We applied for land from the states and we set out to do a demonstration or a pilot programme because we then wanted to validate what we saw and build a pilot scheme”.
“So as at today we have built 5,000 plus units in different stages of completion. We have done in Phase 1 and we have done in Phase 2 and some have started in Phase 3”, the Minister reiterated adding that the other purpose the scheme has served was to fulfil part of the objectives of the administration’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
He added, “It was also a way to implement our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) because as at the time we conceived this programme, the country was in recession”, expressing delight that it has fulfilled that objective because over 1,000 contractors were engaged on the building sites; “businesses owned by Nigerians and Nigerian contractors”.
Pointing out that no foreign contractor was engaged in the project, Fashola added that it was not only an opportunity for nation building but an opportunity for the contractors to sustain their staff.
In his goodwill message after the launch, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr. Mustapha Isah, commended the Federal Government for its commitment to housing delivery. He also commended the Minister for the innovations he has brought to bear at the national level, which, according to him, was a replication of his development initiatives as Governor in Lagos State.
Permanent Secretary, Mr. Babangida Hussaini commended President Buhari and the Minister for their commitment to programmes and projects that promote prosperity for the citizens and grow the nation’s economy.
Aside from the NGE president, other media personalities present are the Special Assistant, Digital/New Media to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Tolu Ogunlesi, the Secretary General of the NGE and Editor, Nation’s Capital, THISDAY Newspaper Group, Mr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren,

Auto

NADDC Pushes Affordable Auto Loans to Boost Vehicle Ownership, More Jobs

Published

10 hours ago

September 21, 2026

Trends Admin

NADDC Pushes Affordable Auto Loans to Boost Vehicle Ownership, More Job

The National Automotive Design and Development Council has called for far-reaching reforms in vehicle financing to make car ownership more affordable while boosting local vehicle assembly, job creation and industrial development.

The Council said a properly structured financing system could turn vehicle credit from a mere consumer lending product into a major economic tool for expanding productive mobility and strengthening Nigeria’s automotive value chain.

Director-General of NADDC, Otunba Joseph Oluwemimo Osanipin, stated this in an address delivered on his behalf by the Council’s Principal Information Officer, Tanko Kyumnom, at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Auto Sectoral Group Symposium in Lagos.

The symposium, held on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the Henry Fajemirokun Hall of LCCI, was themed: “From Subsidy to Credit: Can Vehicle Financing Replace Fuel Subsidy as Nigeria’s Mobility Equaliser?”
Osanipin said the growing cost of mobility had made it necessary to explore financing models that would enable individuals, businesses and transport operators to acquire vehicles without bearing the full cost of ownership upfront.

According to him, spreading vehicle payments over an agreed period could provide a more sustainable pathway to vehicle acquisition, provided that the financing products are affordable, accessible and structured around the economic realities of Nigerian consumers.

He, however, cautioned that simply making credit available would not be enough.
“Vehicle financing offers a more sustainable approach by enabling individuals, businesses and transport operators to acquire vehicles and pay for them over time,” Osanipin stated.
The NADDC DG said the bigger opportunity lies in linking vehicle financing with the growth of locally assembled and Nigerian-made vehicles.

He explained that increased access to credit for locally produced vehicles could generate wider economic benefits by stimulating demand for domestic assembly, supporting component manufacturers, creating jobs and strengthening local supply chains.

Osanipin therefore urged stronger collaboration among government institutions, financial institutions, vehicle manufacturers and other stakeholders in designing financing schemes capable of supporting both mobility access and automotive industrialisation.

The NADDC boss identified affordable vehicle loans, leasing arrangements, fleet financing, credit guarantees and appropriate interest-rate support as mechanisms that could broaden access to vehicle ownership and productive mobility.

lt also stressed the need for repayment structures that take into account the earning patterns and business realities of Nigerians, particularly transport operators and small businesses whose vehicles are directly linked to their income-generating activities.

Osanipin maintained that the objective should extend beyond increasing the number of vehicles on Nigerian roads.
“The goal is not simply to put more vehicles on Nigerian roads. It is to ensure that Nigerians can access productive mobility without placing an unsustainable burden on government finances or household incomes,” he said.

According to him, a properly structured automotive financing system could create a stronger connection between mobility, economic inclusion and domestic vehicle production.

“With the right policies and partnerships, vehicle financing can become a powerful instrument for mobility, economic inclusion and automotive industrial development,” Osanipin added.

The NADDC’s position places vehicle financing within the broader effort to build a sustainable automotive ecosystem in Nigeria—one in which access to credit supports vehicle users while also creating stronger demand for local assembly, components and associated automotive services.

Auto

Jetour T1 Storms Abuja as Automaker Accelerates Nigeria Expansion

Published

15 hours ago

September 21, 2026

Trends Admin

Jetour T1 Set to debut in Abuja as Expansion Gains Momentum

Following a successful debut in Lagos, Jetour Nigeria will host the Jetour Experience Abuja from September 22 to 24, 2026, positioning its all-new T1 model as a major competitor in the country’s growing adventure SUV market.

The three-day event in the Federal Capital Territory will give prospective buyers and motoring enthusiasts direct access to product demonstrations, expert-led technical sessions, and hands-on test drives.

“Strong participation, extensive test drives, and significant sales enquiries at the Lagos edition, coupled with growing demand from Abuja residents, influenced the decision to bring the experience to the nation’s capital,” the company said in a statement. The show holds at Maha Event Centre, Area 8, Garki.

To support its growing national footprint, Jetour Nigeria has established a network of seven accredited dealers: Elizade Nigeria Limited, New Era AutoVehicle Services Limited, Kojo Motors, Germaine Auto Centre, Tab Autos Limited, R.T. Briscoe Motors, and Mandilas Autos. The partnerships cover retail sales, genuine spare parts supply, and comprehensive after-sales maintenance.

Jetour T1 Set to debut in Abuja as Expansion Gains Momentum

Auto

Abuja Demand Rises as Jetour Brings X70 Plus Experience to FCT

Published

2 days ago

September 20, 2026

Trends Admin

Abuja Demand Rises as Jetour Brings X70 Plus Experience to FCT

Jetour Nigeria is taking its seven-seater X70 Plus SUV to Abuja as rising interest from motorists in the Federal Capital Territory and neighbouring states fuels the brand’s latest push to deepen its presence across Nigeria.

The X70 Plus will headline the Jetour Experience Abuja, holding from September 22 to 24 at Maha Event Centre, Area 8, Garki, following the strong response recorded during the Lagos edition, where motorists turned out for test drives and made enquiries about Jetour models.

The Abuja activation is designed to give prospective buyers direct access to the X70 Plus and other models, with opportunities to test-drive the vehicles, engage product specialists and experience their technology, safety and comfort features.

The X70 Plus is positioned as a family-oriented SUV, offering seven-seat capacity and a range of features targeted at customers seeking comfort, technology and practicality.

The SUV is available with 1.5-litre and 1.6-litre turbocharged engine options, with outputs of up to 145kW and 290Nm of torque, paired with a dual-clutch automatic transmission.