Housing: Increase your credit facility to Nigeria, FG urges Shelter Afrique

In a bid to address the issue of housing deficit in the country, the Minister of State for Works and Housing, Abubakar Aliyu, has appealed to Shelter-Afrique, a leading pan African housing development and finance institution to increase its credit facility aimed at providing quality and affordable housing to Nigerians.

The minister made the appeal when the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Shelter-Afrique, Andrew Chimphondah, paid the minister a courtesy visit in his office.

While also pledging the federal government’s commitment to meet up with its outstanding financial obligations to Shelter-Afrique, he also called on them to improve in terms of employing more Nigerians to serve at the institution in view of Nigeria’s contribution to the organization.

“The institution is doing a great job, but we need you to do more, the loan you want to invest in the country to address housing deficit should be increased, more employment position should be given to Nigerians because at present, you have only one Nigeria as staff,” he said.

He pointed out that the provision of $21 billion by the institution to deliver affordable houses in Nigeria is a commendable gesture to reducing the current housing deficit in the country.

The minister, however, urged Shelter-Afrique to increase loans to interested mortgage institutions in Nigerian in order to meet the need for the provision of more houses to the country’s teeming population.

Earlier, Chimphondah disclosed that Shelter-Afrique has earmarked $181 million credit facility to exclusively support the development of housing in order to address the current issue of deficit experienced in the sector in the country within a five years period.

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Speaking further, he also revealed that the institution is focusing on the introduction of a new strategic plan primarily based on public private partnership in the delivery of affordable houses to member countries.

The managing director also raised the issue on the payment of Nigeria’s outstanding financial obligation to Shelter- Afrique to facilitate its operations.

“We are looking at the demand and supply side of housing. For supply side, we will enter into public private partnership with government, with the government providing land and subsidized infrastructure.

“We will commit and dedicate all the expertise to ensure that quality houses are delivered, we will also ensure that the houses are energy-efficient, environmental friendly and comfortable,” Chimphondahadded.