The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has lauded the Nigerian Army‘s initiative of providing affordable housing for its soldiers.
The commendation was made during a meeting on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, when a delegation of Military personnel led by Major General Joseph D. Omale, Managing Director and CEO of Nigerian Army Post Service Housing Development Limited (PSHDL), visited the Minister’s office.
Dangiwa praised the Army for aligning with the Ministry’s mandate of ensuring affordable housing provision for all Nigerians, emphasizing the critical importance of housing as a fundamental human need. “I am happy you are already ahead in providing that welfare to men of your service,” he remarked, highlighting the proactive steps taken by the Nigerian Army in this regard.
The Minister also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, for his decisive action in removing the costs of land and infrastructure, which are often the most significant barriers to affordable housing.
“I am happy the Chief of Army Staff has graciously seen to the affordability concern of most of the men; otherwise, the houses will be built and become unaffordable,” Dangiwa stated. He stressed that addressing these costs is crucial for making housing development and ownership attainable for soldiers.
Dangiwa further elaborated on the necessity of managing land and infrastructure expenses, which play a pivotal role in the overall cost of housing projects.
He suggested that the Nigerian Army could leverage loans from the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to fund their housing schemes. He pointed out the advantages of the National Housing Fund (NHF) scheme, which mandates a 2.5 percent salary contribution from all Nigerians. This pool of funds provides mortgages at a 6 percent interest rate over 30 years, making it the most affordable financing option available in Nigeria.
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The Minister took the opportunity to outline the Ministry’s achievements under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. These accomplishments include comprehensive reforms of housing agencies, land reforms, and the establishment of building materials manufacturing hubs across six geopolitical zones.
He announced the Ministry’s plans to set up a National Social Housing Fund aimed at assisting those without the means to purchase homes, demonstrating the government’s commitment to ensuring every Nigerian has access to dignified and affordable housing.
Regarding the National Housing Programme (NHP), Dangiwa encouraged the Nigerian Army to consider integrating their officers into this scheme. “These National Housing Units are the ones Mr. President directed us to provide to the fallen heroes,” he noted, underscoring the administration’s directive to support the families of fallen soldiers.
He urged the Defence Headquarters to expedite the provision of a list of fallen heroes to facilitate the allocation of these houses, emphasizing that the sales of these housing units are already in progress.
Major General Omale, in his address, expressed the Army’s commitment to the welfare of its soldiers.
He sought the Minister’s assistance in facilitating access to mortgage facilities through the FMBN, which would significantly aid soldiers in acquiring their own homes. Omale highlighted the Chief of Army Staff’s initiative, the Affordable Home Ownership Option, which primarily targets non-officer soldiers who have historically been overlooked in past housing schemes.
“This initiative is crucial in addressing the housing needs of soldiers who are not within the officer cadre,” Omale stated.
