Passion to reduce housing deficit push us into Nigeria’s property market-Agbapuru
By Tunde Opalana
The Chairman of Richygold International, HRH Chief Richard Agbapuru said his organisation ventured into the Nigerian property market out of a passion to ease housing difficulty faced by Nigerians and a determination to reduce the nation’s housing deficit.
As of August this year the Federal Government through the Bank of Industry (BoI), said the amount required to fund the housing sector in Nigeria and bridge the estimated 28 million housing deficit across the country is N21trillion, DailyTimesNGR gathered.
Oblivious of the fact that government anywhere in the world cannot attend to the housing needs of all her citizenry, Chief Agbapuru said it becomes expedient for private investors to partner government in attending to housing needs.
Speaking with our correspondent, Agbapuru, noted that the Richygold Estate on Plot 269, Apo Dutse District Area of Abuja which was officially commissioned on Saturday, the 17th of September, 2022 is one of his organisation’s resolve to ease accommodation difficulties in the country.
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The estate officially unveiled to the public by a national commissioner with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barrister Okoye, was 90 percent completed.
According to Agbapuru, the idea of the estate comprising 96 units, was conceived in 2012 and by 2014, the investors were already putting their ideas on the ground.
He said he never relented until it was completed this year.
Agbapuru recounted many hurdles and challenges the company had to face such as lack of road access to the site, emergency government regulations, different task forces on shakedown missions, and the indigenous community making regular financial demands with threats of disrupting work among many others.
Rather than allowing these challenges to distract his dream, he said, he was insulated and even more determined as he looks to have more of this type of investment in Abuja and in other parts of the country.
“The only thing motivating me is the idea of providing affordable housing to Nigerians and others living and working in the country”, he said.
The estate located on prime land, less than three kilometers from the city centre, has houses and apartments ranging from N25 million to N80 million with world-class facilities such as functioning street and security light, standard waste-bins collection, a private transformer, an interlock road system, a supermarket and a children’s playground.
On facilities available to residents, he said the New Beacon Academy is a top-grade primary and secondary school establishment in that parents are happy to enroll their children.
He added that residents of the estate are really pleased about are how secure the estate is, the facilities maintenance management, the clean open drainage system, the peaceful environment and a feedback system that allows owners, facilities managers and residents to communicate regularly.
Agbapuru said the only objective of the estate “is to provide convenient and affordable housing to Nigerians.”
He expressed pleasure that he has registered the company’s name in the property market and is looking to do more in Abuja and in other viable places in Nigeria.
