Kingsley U.N. Chikwendu —
The convener and organizer of the 15th Abuja International Housing Show (AIHS), Barr. Festus Adebayo today said that “more is still needed and required” if the country is to effectively tackle the growing demands of affordable housing. He made this known at the commencement of the housing show theme “Sustainable and Resilient Housing Solutions for a Post Pandemic World” at the International Conference Center, Abuja.
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Adebayo, a seasoned housing expert, while saying that the importance of housing cannot be relegated if the ruling authorities wish to accomplish the aim of social distancing and promoting personal hygiene, believed that there is the need for critical stakeholders in the country’s housing industry like the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), Federal Ministries of Works and Housing, Finance, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) amongst others, to deliberate on the nation’s housing deficit and the way forward in terms of the segmentation of the housing needs of the masses, expected both from an urban and rural perspective.
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He added that the Covid-19 pandemic that hit the world, impacted the global housing market including Nigeria, as it saw the resurgence and importance of affordable housing, not only as an investment but, a necessary and critical social infrastructure for fighting and effectively combating the spread of the virus.
“The global pandemic impacted the Global Housing Market and Nigeria as well we saw the resurgence and importance of housing, not only as an investment but, a necessary and critical social infrastructure for fighting and effectively combating the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria and across the world, Adebayo said.
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“The importance of housing cannot be overstated if we must accomplish social distancing and promote personal hygiene according to World Health Organization Protocols”.
The former banker commended the response of the Central Bank of Nigeria , Ministry of Finance and other stakeholders towards the the creating of the #200 Billion National Social Housing Programme managed by the Family Homes Fund to deliver 300,000 housing units for low income earners across the country. He however believed that there is still room for improvement by the government to do more.
It is against this backdrop he said, the 15th edition of the Abuja International Housing Show is being convened to gather major housing stakeholders in Nigeria and the world, that will lead to improved housing conditions in the country.
At the housing show, awards were presented to the governments of Lagos, Yobe and Borno states for their roles in developing housing and infrastructures.