FG Targets Cheaper Housing with Local Building Materials Hubs

 

The Federal Government has stepped up plans to establish local building materials manufacturing hubs as part of efforts to cut construction costs, speed up project delivery and create jobs across the country.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Shuaib Belgore, disclosed this on Wednesday in Ilorin at the 14th National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development.

Belgore said the initiative was central to the Federal Government’s strategy to deepen industrial capacity and reduce Nigeria’s heavy dependence on imported building materials.

According to him, promoting local building materials, alongside effective land management, urban renewal and Public–Private Partnerships, remains key to addressing the country’s housing deficit.

“Land, which remains the principal resource in the sector, only becomes a true asset when it is properly titled, registered, digitised and verifiable. Secure land documentation enhances access to finance, stimulates investment and unlocks wealth creation,” he said.

Belgore noted that urban renewal programmes were also critical to transforming ageing city centres into livable and productive spaces.

“Through regeneration and modernisation of old urban areas, we improve livability, optimise land use and promote sustainable human settlements,” he added.

On funding challenges, the permanent secretary stressed that growing pressure on public resources had made collaboration with the private sector unavoidable.

“The increasing demands on public funds have made Public–Private Partnerships indispensable in complementing government efforts to scale up housing and infrastructure delivery,” Belgore said.

He described housing as more than just the provision of shelter, noting that it plays a vital role in economic growth and social stability.

“Housing encompasses access to safe, secure, habitable and affordable homes. It is a critical driver of a productive and stable society,” he said.

Belgore further explained that sound physical planning, efficient land allocation and effective policy implementation were essential for sustainable housing development, adding that the real estate and construction sectors contribute significantly to employment generation and investment mobilisation.

He also acknowledged existing challenges worsening Nigeria’s housing deficit, including limited access to land, inadequate mortgage financing, high building material costs, weak land documentation systems and shortages of skilled artisans.

In his remarks, the Kwara State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Dr Segun Ogunshola, said housing challenges persist but the state government was taking concrete steps to address land and housing shortages.

Ogunshola said the 20,000-unit Kwara Smart City project was already laying the groundwork for a modern mega city, adding that its master plan had been reviewed to improve overall livability.

The National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development serves as a strategic platform for aligning federal and state policies, bringing together policymakers, professionals and experts to drive reforms in housing delivery and sustainable urban development across Nigeria.