Property

FG will complete reconstruction of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road – Fashola

Published

5 years ago

November 21, 2020

By Dada Jackson

Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has expressed the determination of the Federal Government to complete the ongoing reconstruction of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway.

He stated this at a town hall meeting of stakeholders organised by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing held at the Kaduna State University Conference hall, Kaduna

Fashola said, “Mr President is more passionate and concerned about finishing this road and many others before his constitutional term ends.”

He also said the objective of the town hall meeting was to expose the realities and explain the challenges involved in the construction of the road.

Responding to questions from stakeholders who wanted to know why the construction work on the road was taking too long, the minister explained that one of the reasons why work could not commence early on the road was as a result of the request made by the some members of the National Assembly to expand the road from two lanes to three.

He said, “Shortly after we flagged off the road, we received a letter from the senators in the National Assembly asking the Federal Government to expand the road from two lanes to three lanes; that was not from; it was from the National Assembly, the Senators. And they wrote to the President and copied my ministry.

Fashola also stated that based on the directive from the presidency to undertake that expansion, “we needed to redesign an expansion to accommodate about 40 different bridges on this road to align with the lanes.

“So, if they are going to expand from two to three lanes, a new design needed to be created. The process for doing that required us to hire a design consultant. We had to follow the procurement process established by the National Assembly,” he said.

Accordingly, he said the procurement process was a long one, which entails advertising; waiting for a period of six weeks after advertisement; reviewing of tender; picking of consultant and going to the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) and finally to the Federal Executive Council for approval to hire a consultant to do the design requested.

The minister also disclosed that after going through all the processes of procurement for redesigning to three lanes, the ministry received another instruction to revert to two lanes due to paucity of funds.

Fashola attributed the delay in completion to the total length of the road and the process of construction.

He said, “Each lane is 375km. So if you multiply that by four, we are building a thousand and five hundred kilometres of highway. No matter how hard you tried to work, if there were 25 hours in one day to do this work, we will commit to it, but the truth is that materials take time to react, minimum and maximum processes must be observed.”

Responding to a question on the Kaduna-Western By-pass, the minister explained that the Kaduna State Government initially requested it to be transferred to the state and the request was granted, but later due to the inability of the state to raise the financing for it, the commencement of the work was stalled.

He added that a recommendation to put the project under the Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme was later considered and approved.

He said, “As far as the Western By-pass is concerned, let me also say that it is on record, Kaduna State was the first state to apply for the transfer of federal road to them; that I recommended to the Federal Executive Council and the council approved and I transferred it to the state governor in his first term. It was after the unsuccessful attempt by the Kaduna State government to raise financing that we recommended that it be put under the Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme.”

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, stated that her ministry would collaborate with the Ministry of Works and Housing and Messrs Julius Berger to expeditiously work on the reconstruction of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway in order to ensure completion before the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

She explained that the issue of funding had been addressed because the Ministry of Finance had given $650 to the National Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) whose responsibility was to generate additional funds to ensure that the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway and other designated projects are fully funded.

Leader of the delegation and Chief of Staff to President Muhammad Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, assured the people that President Muhammad Buhari’s commitment was real and realizable before the end of his tenure.

The Managing Director of Messrs. Julius Berger who also made presentation at the town hall meeting, revealed that the company had introduced a new innovative cold recycling method of constructing roads in Nigeria, which he said was being used for the first time in Nigerian for the reconstruction of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road.

He listed the benefits of cold recycling as achieving shorter construction time, conservation of resources, cost effectiveness, enhancing road safety and impacting positively on the environment.

He stated that the scope of work on the roads had been divided into three sections, with section one covering Abuja to Kaduna road, with 165.5km; second section, Kaduna to Zaria with 73.4km and the third section, Zaria to Kano with 137.0km .

In attendance at the town hall meeting were the Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Dr Hadiza Balarabe who represented her governor, representatives of the Niger State Governor, Commissioner for Works and Housing and that of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Shehu Hadiza Ahmed.

Other stakeholders at the meeting were legislators from both the national and state assemblies from the concerned states, representatives of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), community and traditional institutions.

Property

Sanwo-Olu reintroduces Building Permit Amnesty to help Lagos property owners regularise structures

Published

4 months ago

November 6, 2025

Trends Admin

Sanwo-Olu reintroduces Building Permit Amnesty to help Lagos property owners regularise structures

In response to growing public demand, the Lagos State Government has reintroduced its Planning Permit Amnesty Programme—a relief initiative that allows property owners to regularise unapproved buildings without paying statutory penal fees.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, announced the renewed scheme on Tuesday in Alausa, stating that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu approved the amnesty following appeals from residents who missed previous windows.

Olumide explained that this marks the third time the Sanwo-Olu administration is granting such an opportunity, underscoring the governor’s commitment to inclusive and people-oriented urban development.

According to him, the latest amnesty window will run for 61 days—from November 1 to December 31, 2025—and provides a final chance for owners of existing but unapproved buildings to obtain planning permits and avoid legal or enforcement actions.

Sanwo-Olu reintroduces Building Permit Amnesty to help Lagos property owners regularise structures

Property

HDAN compiles uncompleted housing projects nationwide

Published

1 year ago

February 7, 2025

Trends Admin

HDAN compiles uncompleted housing projects nationwide

By Dada Jackson

The Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has commenced the compilation of unoccupied/uncompleted housing projects across various states in Nigeria.

It says the initiative is aimed at addressing the growing concern of abandoned and underutilized housing estates.

It has set a target of four months to make available a compilation of all such identified projects.

It noted in a statement obtained on Friday that many of the houses had remained vacant due to infrastructural deficiencies, wrong location (building in the outskirt of town), poor allocation processes, lack of access roads and regulatory challenges.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director of HDAN, Festus Adebayo, in Abuja.

According to him, the organization, which comprises over 5,000 professionals in the housing and construction sector, is taking a proactive approach to tackling Nigeria’s housing crisis.

“We have seen too many housing projects left unoccupied due to issues such as poor infrastructure, wrong location, high costs, and inefficient allocation processes.

“HDAN is determined to compile a comprehensive list of these estates and work towards practical solutions,” Adebayo stated.

HDAN has been at the forefront of advocating housing sector reforms. And in 2025, the organization is intensifying its efforts by setting up various committees focused on policy lobbying.

Adebayo noted that the group was pushing for amendments to outdated housing-related laws such as the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Act, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) Act, and the National Housing Fund (NHF) Act.

“We are also looking at the possibility of a legal framework that will back social housing and recognize the right of citizens to affordable shelter,” he added.

As part of its broader efforts, HDAN is also working towards strengthening research and intelligence in the housing sector.

The statement also said the organisation had committed to supporting the National Housing Data Centre Steering Committee to ensure the collection of accurate and reliable data that will inform policies and investments in the sector.

One of HDAN’s major concerns is the deteriorating condition of many housing estates built under Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).

According to Adebayo, these estates are often in bad shape due to lack of maintenance and ineffective management structures.

He emphasized that making the allocation process more transparent and improving affordability would encourage more residents to occupy them.

Several reports have highlighted the challenges faced by unoccupied housing projects in Nigeria.

“Some of these housing projects are located in areas with inadequate infrastructure, such as poor road networks, unreliable water supply, and lack of electricity, making them unattractive to potential occupants,” an industry report noted.

“Other issues include poor urban planning, where government or private-built estates are situated too far from employment hubs, social amenities, and transportation links.

“In the course of this compilation, HDAN will be reaching out to all financiers and developers that are concerned in these projects.

“Additionally, cumbersome allocation and purchasing processes have discouraged potential buyers.

“The absence of effective policies and regulations, coupled with an uncoordinated allocation system, has led to illegal occupation of some housing estates, undermining the government’s efforts to provide affordable housing,” Adebayo stated.

HDAN has also noted that many estates suffer from issues such as bad roads, lack of perimeter fencing, shortage of reticulated water supply, and poor landscaping.

These factors are said to further discourage prospective residents from moving into the available homes.

Adebayo reiterated HDAN’s commitment to encouraging social housing development and advocating for the government to construct more housing estates in urban and rural areas.

“We need housing that is closer to the people, well-planned, and affordable. The government must take deliberate steps to ensure these homes are not just built but are also livable,” he stated.

With HDAN’s nationwide housing project compilation underway, stakeholders in the housing sector are hopeful that this effort will provide actionable insights that will lead to better housing policies, improved infrastructure, and increased occupancy rates in existing estates.

Property

Over 500 participants for 2025 Africa Int’l housing show in Abuja

Published

1 year ago

February 3, 2025

Trends Admin

Over 500 participants for 2025 Africa Int’l housing show in Abuja

More than 500 participants will attend the Africa International Housing Show (AIHS) 2025 holding at the prestigious Transcorp Hilton, Abuja from the 26th to the 31st of July, 2025.

With high-profile exhibitors and representation from 21 countries, AIHS will provide an unparalleled platform for networking, showcasing innovative housing solutions, and fostering partnerships in the real estate sector.

The event, known as Africa’s largest housing and construction gathering, will bring together key players from various markets, including Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, to explore real estate investment opportunities and housing finance models that can drive sustainable development across the continent.

Speaking on the choice of Transcorp Hilton as the venue for AIHS 2025, Festus Adebayo, the event convener, emphasized that AIHS is not just an exhibition but a movement towards advancing affordable housing, urban transformation, and technological innovation.

He highlighted the show’s role in creating wealth, generating employment, and enhancing housing policies to meet Africa’s growing urbanization needs.

According to him, Nigeria’s strategic position and business-friendly policies reinforce AIHS as the premier destination, AIHS continues to be the premier destination for investors seeking sustainable housing and infrastructure opportunities.

AIHS 2025 will also serve as a platform for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, forge new collaborations, and strengthen the investment ecosystem, aligning with Africa’s development agenda.

To register, exhibit, network, and secure business opportunities, interested persons are told to visit www.africahousingshow.co.