The Federal Government has begun construction of a 2,000-unit Renewed Hope Housing Development at Lekki Aviation Town, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma, performed the groundbreaking on Friday. He said the project is aimed at expanding homeownership, creating jobs and building sustainable cities under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Delivering a keynote address titled “A new era in housing delivery,” Darma said the Ministry’s strategy rests on four pillars: increased housing supply, accessible mortgage finance, effective private-sector partnerships and evidence-based policymaking.
He described the Ibeju-Lekki project, being executed with Harmony Gardens and Estate Development Limited and Metroscape Development Company Limited, as an example of how government can mobilise private capital, land and expertise to deliver housing at scale.
The estate will have two- and three-bedroom units and is located in one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing economic corridors, driven by the Dangote Refinery, the Lekki Deep Sea Port and the Free Trade Zone.
Darma also insisted that the built industry must be fully regulated, as agreed by stakeholders at a validation exercise in Abuja. According to him, proper regulation will help prevent building collapses and other abuses in the built environment.
He added that the Ministry is working to harmonise all relevant agencies into a single coordinating platform to improve Nigerians’ access to mortgage finance.
“A house is only truly accessible when a Nigerian can obtain financing on terms consistent with his income,” he said.
The Minister urged Harmony Gardens and the other contractors on the project to uphold the highest safety and environmental standards, noting that Nigerians are watching.
“The success will be measured not by today’s ceremony, but by timely delivery of quality, affordable homes,” he stated.
Representing the Lagos State Governor, Hon. Prince Bayo Balogun acknowledged Harmony Gardens’ contributions to the development of Lagos and Ibeju-Lekki, describing the company as not just an investor but a philanthropist.
He commended the Federal Ministry’s initiative and called on genuine investors to partner with the state government to close the housing gap created by Lagos’ growing population.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Urban Development and Regional Planning, Hon. Awaji Inombek Abiante, urged the Ministry and its private partners to adopt integrated planning for the project. He cautioned that efforts to solve the housing problem should not create new challenges in transportation, markets and access to basic amenities.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, called the project a major milestone in the Federal Government’s drive to provide decent, safe and affordable housing. He commended the developer and urged timely delivery of a high-quality, sustainable community, adding that the Ministry will provide institutional oversight and quality assurance so the project can serve as a national model.
The Chief Executive Officer of Harmony Gardens and Estate Development Limited, Abdullahi Saheed Mosadoluwa, commended President Tinubu for creating an unprecedented pathway for ordinary Nigerians to own homes without breaking the bank.
He said buyers can start with an initial deposit of as little as N100,000 and spread payment over 25 years through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria. According to him, this puts homeownership within reach of teachers, police officers, nurses, civil servants, young entrepreneurs and Nigerians in the diaspora.
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