11th Abuja Housing Show to review National Housing Fund, NHF

The 11^th edition of Abuja Housing Show will review the National Housing Fund (NHF) to enhance housing delivery and sustainable development, according to the convener.

Mr Festus Adebayo, the Chief Executive Officer of FESADEB Communication Limited, the convener of the show, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Friday.

The issue of housing has been a source of concern in Nigeria with stakeholders saying there is a shortage of over 17 million houses for the citizens.

The government has initiated numerous housing schemes, including NHF, which have not addressed the problem.

The Muhammadu Buhari administration, like its predecessors, has initiated some housing delivery through which it hopes to deliver affordable houses to the populace.

“There will be a quarter of the century review of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN)’s NHF scheme, created by law 24 years ago.

“We want to take stock, checking whether it is producing results, how many workers have benefited and the prospect of the scheme.

“The show will be looking at the Nigerian workers and public perspective of NHF, its impression, the fund and the law that established it,’’ Adebayo said.

He said the show would also look at the current management of the bank, its perspective and need for revatilisation.

According to him, the show will consider diaspora financing and family home fund recently established by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

He said the show would equally develop agenda for state governments to address housing policies and incorporating urban development issues, such as rural urban drift and transport planning.

“It is necessary to create a National Urban Regeneration and also allow state governments to obtain nationally owned land.

“The government must create a Rental Housing Association Model for long term affordable apartments.

“It must diversify FMBN from supply oriented to demand oriented’’ institution.

The show, described as the largest expo in Africa, is scheduled to hold in July and dwell on the theme, “Solving Nigerians Housing Challenge through Innovative Finance and Infrastructure Solution’’. (NAN)