- FMBN, Labour Unions Plan Affordable Housing Programme for Workers
In its bid to boost housing development in the country, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria in conjunction with the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association have finalised plans to commence the implementation of a National Affordable Housing Delivery Programme for Nigerian workers.
According to the FMBN, the housing scheme is a product of strategic collaboration between the mortgage institution and the labour unions, towards addressing the housing requirement of workers currently estimated at 3,750,000 housing units.
The bank in statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday said the measures to be adopted in achieving the target would involve fast-tracking the provision of safe, decent, quality and affordable housing to registered members of the NLC, TUC and NECA, who also contribute to the National Housing Fund, which the FMBN manages.
It said the pilot phase of the programme aimed to deliver 2,800 housing units in 14 sites across the country.
“This includes 200 houses in each of the six zones in addition to Lagos and Abuja,” the bank stated.
It said the groundbreaking ceremony of the project had been scheduled for September in the Federal Capital Territory, adding that this would be followed by the inauguration of the programme in Yola, Adamawa State, and Umuahia in Abia State.
The FMBN stated, “Key features of the housing programme are the emphasis on affordability and the focus on low and middle-income classes of workers. Planned house types therefore include fully finished semi-detached bungalows and blocks of flats of one bedroom, two bedrooms, and three bedrooms.
“The designs of the houses are based on local and international social housing models that have been tested and proved to deliver housing units that are structurally strong, livable and at cost-effective rates that fit the income of the targeted beneficiaries.”
