The Cross River State Government has challenged housing corporations across Nigeria to move beyond the construction of isolated estates and instead develop scalable, replicable systems capable of bridging the nation’s widening housing deficit.
Commissioner for Housing, Dr. Beatrice Igwe, delivered the charge on behalf of Governor Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu at the opening of a two-day national workshop organized by the Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria (AHCN). The event, themed "Affordable Housing Solutions for Low-Income Earners in Emerging Housing Markets," is currently underway at the Prince Bassey Otu Hall, State Library Complex in Calabar.
Dr. Igwe noted that Nigeria’s housing demand continues to far outstrip supply, largely because conventional financing models consistently exclude low-income earners.
To bridge this gap, Dr. Igwe disclosed that Cross River State is actively piloting an innovative Public-Private-Community Partnership (PPCP) model under Governor Otu’s "People First" agenda.
As a major milestone, the Commissioner announced that the groundbreaking ceremony for a 500-unit Okuni Housing Estate in the Central Senatorial District is scheduled for Saturday, July 4, 2026. The state plans to replicate this model across the Northern and Southern senatorial districts, targeting a total of 1,500 units statewide. Additionally, she revealed that a separate 50-unit free housing project for indigent women has already reached 80 percent completion.
Describing housing corporation CEOs as the "architects of dignity" for millions of Nigerians, Dr. Igwe urged workshop participants to standardize building models, share transparent operational lessons, and collaborate with key institutional funders such as the Family Homes Funds Limited and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to unlock capital at scale.
The federal government also echoed the call for structural transformation. Speaking on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma, Arc. Dennis Pau Ishaya outlined bold ongoing reforms aimed at repositioning the housing sector as a primary driver of economic growth, job creation, and social inclusion.
Through the federal Renewed Hope Housing Programme, the Ministry is currently delivering housing estates across all six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Arc. Ishaya emphasized that the Ministry is prioritizing the use of local building materials, expanding private sector participation, and overhauling land administration, urban development, and mortgage accessibility to create a highly favorable investment environment.
Earlier, the President of AHCN, ESV. Eno Obongha, reminded participants that housing remains one of the ultimate indicators of a nation’s economic prosperity and social stability.
"The housing deficit continues to widen, and the dream of homeownership remains out of reach for too many low-income earners," Obongha stated. He challenged attendees to move beyond basic cost discussions and instead focus on deploying modern construction technologies and innovative financing structures capable of delivering mass housing at the speed and scale required by Nigeria’s rapidly growing population.
By Immaculata Archibong
