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The Federal Government is ready to start the official groundbreaking for phase 1 of the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates project across Northern Nigeria.
It is starting with the construction of 1,250 housing units in four states.
According to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, this initiative follows the official launch of the program by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who commenced a 3,112-housing unit project in Katsina, Abuja, in February 2024.
The successful completion of the contracting process and mobilization of reputable developers has paved the way for this development.
The minister is scheduled to officially commence the construction of 250 housing units each in Katsina, Kano, Yobe, and Gombe between May 23 and 25, 2024.
Dangiwa expressed the commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's vision of transforming the country into a significant construction site, unlocking the potential of the housing sector to create jobs, catalyze economic growth, and contribute to the $1 trillion economy while boosting national development.
He emphasized that the 1,250 units being initiated in Katsina, Kano, Yobe, and Gombe are just the beginning, with plans to expand to other parts of the country.
The minister also highlighted that under the 2023 Supplementary budget, the Ministry has awarded contracts for 3,500 housing units in 13 states since December 2023, including 500 housing units in Kano and 250 housing units in twelve other states such as Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe, Gombe, Nasarawa, Benue, Osun, Oyo, Abia, Ebonyi, Delta, and Akwa Ibom.
He stated that the Renewed Hope City in Kano includes: 100 units of 1-bedroom (semi-detached bungalows); 300 units of 2-bedrooms (semi-detached bungalows); 100 units of 3-bedrooms (semi-detached bungalows).
The estates in Katsina, Yobe, and Gombe each consist of: 50 units of 1-bedroom (semi-detached bungalows); 100 units of 2-bedrooms (semi-detached bungalows); 50 units of 3-bedrooms (semi-detached bungalows).
"To make it more affordable and accessible, we have designed the houses in a way that one bedroom can be expanded to two or three bedrooms as the income of the beneficiaries increases,"
Dangiwa explained. With an average of 25 direct and indirect jobs per housing unit, the 1,250 housing units are expected to create 31,250 skilled and unskilled jobs in these states.
The construction work at the sites will also boost local economic activity, benefiting the communities and the wider economy.
The housing projects aim to address social inequality by offering a wide range of affordable ownership options.
This includes single-digit and up to 30-year mortgage loans provided by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Rent-to-Own options where beneficiaries can move in and pay towards homeownership in monthly, quarterly, or annual installments, and Outright Purchase for high-income earners.
The funding for the 1,250 housing units comes from the N50 billion 2023 Supplementary Budget of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
The minister has assured all state governments that the Renewed Hope Housing Programme is intended to cover all states in the country, and states not covered under the 2023 Supplementary Budget will be included in the 2024 Budget.
He urged all state governments that have not yet provided land for the projects to do so in order to enable the Ministry to finalize project plans.
