FG to Provide Land for 10,000-Home Housing Project With Chinese Investors

The Federal Government has agreed to release land for a proposed 10,000-home housing project, as it pushes to close Nigeria’s massive housing gap. Officials confirmed the plan after a meeting with a Chinese investment delegation in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaqha Darma, disclosed the development through a statement from the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Badamasi Haiba. Darma met with the delegation, led by Chief Engineer Lewis Chima, who pitched a large-scale affordable housing partnership.

Inside the 10,000-Home Housing Project Proposal

Darma welcomed the investment interest and linked it directly to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. That agenda, he explained, prioritises affordable housing through public-private partnerships. Therefore, the ministry sees this proposal as a natural fit.

According to Darma, the government stands ready to support genuine investors. It plans to do so by easing access to land and offering institutional backing throughout project delivery.

“Our mandate is to ensure that more Nigerians have access to affordable and decent housing,” Darma said. “We are therefore ready and willing to provide land in Abuja, across the states and in local government areas, subject to due process and the fulfilment of all statutory requirements.”

He added that the proposal aligns well with the Renewed Hope Housing Programme and the broader push to shrink the national housing deficit.

Chima, for his part, said Nigeria’s scale and economic potential drew his company’s attention. He pointed to the country’s housing deficit — estimated at roughly 17 million units — as clear justification for large interventions.

Notably, Chima said the project would stretch across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. It would also complement the government’s existing Renewed Hope Housing Programme rather than compete with it. “The objective of this project is not merely to construct houses, but to develop sustainable communities through modern industrialised construction technology,” he stated.

How the Housing Project Would Work

The company intends to use prefabricated construction technology, Chima explained. It would operate under an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing model. This approach bundles design, financing, construction, and delivery into one streamlined framework.

As a result, Chima said the technology could deliver all 10,000 units within 30 months. It would also cut costs, improve build quality, and shorten timelines, he added. International financing support would further strengthen risk management across the project.

Beyond construction, Chima assured the ministry of his company’s interest in a long-term partnership. He expressed confidence that the project would create jobs, transfer new technology, and support sustainable urban growth in Nigeria.

Following the presentation, Darma directed the formation of a review committee. Relevant directors will now assess the proposal thoroughly before the ministry decides its next steps.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Shuaib Belgore, reaffirmed the ministry’s openness to strategic partnerships. He said such deals would help accelerate affordable and sustainable housing delivery nationwide.

Nigeria’s Wider Housing Deficit Challenge

Nigeria’s housing shortage remains a persistent economic and social challenge. Current estimates place the deficit at around 17 million units nationwide. Consequently, the Federal Government continues to lean on the Renewed Hope Housing Programme to narrow that gap.

The programme runs on a three-tier model. It includes Renewed Hope Cities, Renewed Hope Estates, and Renewed Hope Social Housing Estates. Public-private partnerships remain central to speeding up delivery across all three tiers.

So far, construction has begun on more than 10,000 housing units. These span 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory, according to the ministry. Key examples include a 3,112-unit Renewed Hope City in Karsana, Abuja, and a 2,000-unit development in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. Another major project is underway in Kano, alongside smaller 250-unit estates in several states.

Given this track record, the new 10,000-home housing project would mark a significant expansion. If completed on schedule, it could meaningfully add to the government’s existing housing stock within just two and a half years.

For now, the proposal remains under review. However, both sides appear eager to move quickly, given the scale of Nigeria’s housing need and the government’s public commitment to affordable homes for all.