FG begins construction of 250 housing units for civil servants in Gwagwalada

The Federal Government has commenced construction of 250 housing units for federal civil servants in Dukpa, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

The development was disclosed in a statement published on the website of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday.

The estate comprises two- and three-bedroom bungalows and is being implemented through a partnership between the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

The project is aimed at expanding access to affordable housing for federal civil servants while supporting the government’s broader housing delivery efforts in the Federal Capital Territory.

What they are saying

The Housing Minister, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, said the project is aimed at providing affordable accommodation for civil servants while recognising their contributions to national development.

The ministry said the foundation for the civil service housing estate was laid on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, performing the groundbreaking ceremony.

• “The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in partnership with the Office of Head of Civil Service of the Federation have laid a foundation for the construction of civil service housing estate in Dukpa, Gwagwalada, Abuja, FCT, on Wednesday, August 19th, 2026.
• “The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack performed the groundbreaking of the estate which comprises 250 two and three-bedroom bungalows,” the statement read in part.

Walson-Jack called on state governors to replicate the programme across the country, while stressing the need for quality construction, affordability, transparency, accessibility and timely completion.

Darma urged the contractors, consultants and other stakeholders handling the project to ensure the houses are delivered to high standards and built to withstand the test of time.

FG plans more housing deliveries

Darma disclosed that the ministry has lined up several housing projects for delivery between August and December across Lagos, Abuja and other locations.

He said the planned deliveries form part of the government’s effort to move from policies and promises to completed housing projects that can improve the living conditions of Nigerians.

• The 250 units will complement the 350 housing units already provided under the Federal Integrated Staff Housing Programme.
• This brings the total number of housing units provided for federal civil servants under the initiatives to 600.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Shuaib Belgore, described the project as a targeted intervention to address the housing needs of federal civil servants.

Belgore said the initiative reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to providing decent, affordable and dignified housing for workers who have dedicated their careers to national service.

Get up to speed

The 250-unit civil service estate is being developed in DUKPA, an area that has previously been the focus of federal housing and land development initiatives. The Federal Government had allocated residential and service plots under the Dukpa Site and Services Scheme in 1992 through the then Federal Ministry of Works and Housing for private development.

• The government subsequently revoked the allocations after the land was required for the National Housing Programme, citing overriding public purpose.
• The Federal Government recently announced a final verification exercise for affected beneficiaries ahead of their relocation to an alternative site within Gwagwalada.
• The three-week verification exercise is scheduled to begin on September 7, 2026, to authenticate the claims of allottees whose original allocations were affected.

Affected allottees are required to present documents including original letters of allocation, payment receipts, valid identification, sworn affidavits supporting ownership claims and passport photographs.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development said only plots and allottees whose claims are verified within the stipulated period would be considered for relocation, warning that no further extension would be granted.

What you should know

The Federal Government’s housing activities in Gwagwalada form part of broader efforts to expand housing delivery and address the housing needs of workers and other Nigerians in the Federal Capital Territory. The development also comes amid efforts to recover stalled housing projects and improve land administration in Abuja.

• The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria is set to complete 962 housing units in Abuja following the recovery of a housing project financed with a $65 million loan that was allegedly diverted.
• The Kaba District estate was formally handed over to FMBN by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission following a final forfeiture order issued by the Federal High Court.
• The project was initiated by FMBN in 2012 and was designed to deliver 962 housing units across about 27.92 hectares of land.

Nairametrics recently reported that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike had signed 26,272 Certificates of Occupancy since May 2023, compared with 8,697 C-of-Os produced and signed between 2010 and 2023.