Sokoto Begins 1,836 Housing Units to Address Accommodation Deficit – Aliyu

Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has disclosed that his administration has embarked on projects involving 1,836 housing units as part of efforts to address the state’s housing deficit and provide affordable accommodation for residents.

Aliyu made this known on Thursday at the closing ceremony of the 15th National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development held in Sokoto.

The governor said the projects align with his administration’s commitment to providing decent and affordable housing under its nine-point SMART Agenda.

According to him, the projects include 500 housing units at Wajake in Wamakko Local Government Area, another 500 units at Sokoto New City, and 136 units acquired from the Federal Government at Kwannawa.

He added that the state government was also providing 100 housing units each for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Illela and Rabah local government areas.

The governor further disclosed that his administration was completing 500 housing units at Gidan Salanke, a project initiated by the administration of former Governor and current Senator, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.

Aliyu expressed appreciation to the National Council for selecting Sokoto to host the 15th meeting, reaffirming his government’s determination to expand access to decent and affordable housing across the state.

FG Plans 77,400 Housing Units Nationwide

In his remarks, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, announced plans by the Federal Government to construct 100 housing units in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas under its Social Housing Programme.

The proposed initiative is expected to deliver 77,400 housing units nationwide.

The minister also disclosed plans to increase mortgage delivery from the current level to 5,000 annually by 2028, alongside a proposed increase in the maximum mortgage loan from ₦50 million to ₦85 million.

Darma said the government was directing the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to disburse at least 70 per cent of the previous year’s National Housing Fund (NHF) contributions through mortgage facilities annually.

He explained that the government was targeting 2,000 mortgages in the current year, with plans to increase the figure to 5,000 by 2028.

The minister added that between 30 and 40 per cent of mortgage bookings would be allocated to workers in the informal sector, many of whom have historically faced difficulties accessing formal housing finance.

He said the proposed reforms were designed to strengthen the housing finance system, improve access to mortgage facilities and enable more Nigerian workers to benefit from their contributions to the National Housing Fund.

Darma also announced plans to establish a National Housing Finance Authority to provide a coordinated regulatory framework and improve the performance of the country’s housing finance sector.

He further highlighted the recently launched Diaspora Mortgage Programme, which is designed to enable Nigerians living abroad to access housing opportunities in the country.

The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to making housing finance more accessible to low- and middle-income earners, as well as informal sector workers, stressing the importance of transparency, accountability and effective implementation.

Sultan Calls for Collaboration on Affordable Housing

Speaking at the event, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, described the meeting’s theme, “Strengthening Mortgage, Land and Institutional Systems for Accelerated and Inclusive Housing Development,” as timely and relevant.

He emphasised the need for collaboration among stakeholders to improve housing affordability and accessibility across the country.

Other speakers at the event included the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo; Chairman of the House Committee on Urban Development and Regional Planning, Awaji-Inombek Abiante; and Sokoto State Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Nasiru Dantsoho.

The meeting brought together commissioners responsible for lands, housing and urban development from the 36 states of the federation.

It concluded with resolutions aimed at accelerating inclusive housing delivery and strengthening the institutional and financial systems supporting housing development in Nigeria.