FG hands over 116 National Housing Programme units to Benue govt

The Federal Government has handed over 116 completed housing units under the National Housing Programme to the Benue State Government.

The disclosure was contained in a statement published on the website of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday.

The handover ceremony took place at the Government House in Makurdi.

It is expected to strengthen collaboration between the Federal and Benue State governments on housing delivery.

What they are saying

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma, was represented at the ceremony by the Director of Public Buildings and Housing Development Department, QS Pemi Samuel Temitope. He described the handover as another milestone in the Federal Government’s commitment to delivering affordable housing.

The minister said the transfer of the 116 housing units demonstrates effective collaboration between the Federal Government and sub-national governments in addressing Nigeria’s housing challenges.

• “The Federal Government has handed over 116 completed housing units under the National Housing Programme to the Benue State Government, in a move aimed at expanding access to affordable housing and strengthening collaboration with sub-national governments to address Nigeria’s housing needs.”

Darma said the Benue State Government’s decision to acquire the housing estate was a strategic move. He said it would further expand access to quality and affordable housing for residents.

He explained that the National Housing Programme was established as a strategic Federal Government intervention to reduce the country’s housing deficit.

The programme is being implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

More insights

The ministry said the National Housing Programme goes beyond providing affordable and accessible homes. It also supports job creation, stimulates local economies, and encourages the use of locally sourced building materials.

The minister added that housing is a fundamental human need. According to him, it promotes dignity, family stability, public health, security, and stronger communities.

Receiving the housing units on behalf of Governor Hyacinth Alia, the Acting Head of Civil Service of Benue State, Dr. Eunice Ogbeniyi, thanked the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development for partnering with the state on housing delivery.

She said the Benue State Government acquired the estate as part of its commitment to improving the welfare of civil servants and residents.

Darma reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working with state governments and other stakeholders. He said stronger partnerships are critical to achieving sustainable urban development and ensuring that government housing interventions directly benefit citizens.

Get up to speed

Just over a week ago, the Federal Government handed over rent-to-own housing units to beneficiaries in Abuja. The move marked another step in its efforts to expand access to affordable homeownership.

• The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria Rent-to-Own Scheme was launched in 2018 to make homeownership more accessible and affordable for Nigerian workers.
• The rent-to-own initiative enables eligible Nigerians, particularly contributors to the National Housing Fund, to move into completed homes and pay for them over an extended period.
• The initiative was designed to be implemented in phases, with about 3,000 housing units targeted in the pilot phase across the country.

The programme aims to address housing finance challenges by eliminating the need for large upfront deposits while providing a structured pathway to homeownership.

What you should know

Nigeria is facing a significant housing crisis. The Federal Government estimates the country’s housing deficit at about 14.9 million units, according to data from the National Housing Data Technical Committee.

• To bridge the gap, about 550,000 housing units need to be built annually. This would require an estimated N5.5 trillion every year over the next 10 years, according to former Minister of Housing, Musa Dangiwa.
• Federal, state, and private sector stakeholders have introduced several initiatives to reduce the housing deficit, including the Renewed Hope Estates and Cities Programme.
• In November 2024, Dangiwa disclosed that government-funded one-bedroom apartments under the Renewed Hope Estates Programme were priced between N8 million and N9 million. Similar units developed through Public-Private Partnership arrangements under the Renewed Hope Cities Programme were priced at about N22 million.

The Lagos State Government announced in July 2025 that it planned to complete more than 14,000 housing units by 2026 as part of efforts to address the state’s housing shortage.

Earlier in May 2025, the Lagos State Government revealed that it had delivered 9,970 housing units over the previous six years.