The Federal Government is to establish hubs for building materials across the country as part of its reforms to ensure the provision of affordable and quality housing to Nigerians of all income brackets.
Ahmed Dangiwa, the minister of Housing and Urban Development, announced this when he received a visiting delegation from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Abuja.
Mr Dangiwa explained that the hubs would help reduce the cost of building materials in the country, stressing that other reforms, such as the establishment of National Social Housing Fund and development of new cities that are integrated, inclusive and demand-driven will also take place.
He said the reforms would strengthen the capacity of federal housing agencies, including the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and Federal Housing Authority (FHA) as well as Implement Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrading Programmes.
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Mr Dangiwa, represented by the Minister of State, Abdullahi Gwarzo, said the reforms would be carried out in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation which had already invested over $38 billion dollars in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Kalim Shah, the Senior Country Manager, International Finance Corporation, said the aim of the visit was to identify needs, objectives and support the ministry of Housing and Urban Development to carry out its reforms.
Alexander Leigh, the Senior Investment Officer, Public-Private Partnership of International Finance Corporation, named access to land, cost of construction, and targeted beneficiaries as crucial to the success of the collaboration with the federal government.
Source: Radio Nigeria