Operators are rooting for the establishment of a land bank to tackle the financial requirement, among others, of the real estate industry. They contend that constitution of the Land Use and Allocation Committee and adequate budget provision for housing are key to solving the housing challenge.  OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE reports.

The place of shelter in the life of mankind is well encapsulated in Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This is, perhaps, the reason the government has continually strived to put measures in place to cater for this all-important need. Shelter is a critical factor that determines the standard of living.

However, with increasing demand on all fronts, it has become impossible for the government to take responsibility of providing shelter for all. Hence, the call for viable alternatives. Perhaps, this is why the government has made a policy to encourage public-private partnership (PPP), including  private participation in the sector. The coming of the private sector is spinning the fortunes of the industry faster than ever.

For instance, in Lagos State, the Commissioner for Housing, Mr Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, explained that the administration was partnering the private sector on mass housing. This will help provide adequate and high-quality housing and facilitate homeownership schemes for the citizens.

“The Lagos State Government had commenced the implementation of policies that will make the environment more conducive for private sector participation and joint-venture investments in the provision of mass housing, especially in urban areas where the housing deficit is quite acute. We are hoping interested investors will come forward to collaborate with the government in this regard,” he said at a media parley in Ikeja, last year.

Although Akinderu-Fatai said the government intended to create a sustainable system in which homes could be consistently made available to more people, finance had always been an issue.       .

But to assist the government in realising its dreams, the Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors &  Valuers (NIESV), Lagos State branch, last week, made a case for the creation of a Land Bank, Land Use & Allocation Committee and adequate provision for housing.

It was during a visit to the state House of Assembly House Committee on Housing.

NIESV Chairman Adedotun Bamigbola said as core housing services providers, estate surveyors and valuers were using legislative channels to proffer solution to the housing challenge.

“One area we have identified through which we want to proffer solution, is the establishment of a land bank in partnership with the private sector. This can be driven on public-private partnership to boost housing provision, based on cluster housing development, benefiting from communal infrastructure provided by government. Lagos State may have a land bank and we may not know it, but a lot of acquisitions based on the Land Use Act 1978 are all over Lagos which can form a land bank, that is if government takes the decision to partner with the private sector. The private sector can develop housing with infrastructure provided by the government. You will be surprised that over a period of five years, the housing deficit we are talking about will become a thing of the past,” he said.

According to him, the issues are technical and the government would need to draw a road map and put it into the state legislation to make it work.

Bamigbola said adequate budgetary provision for this type of development in the next budget and over the next five budgetary cycles could achieve a reversal of the  three million housing deficit in Lagos and more.

He stressed that the setting up of a Land Use and Allocation Committee as required under the Land Use Act would also promote the key issue of provision of land to address the challenges.

He said: “The Land Use and Allocation Committee of the state has not existed for some time and we feel it will be a major support for solving the housing problems and real estate transaction problems that we currently have, especially in Lagos State. The reason is that Lagos State has a huge pool of land bank and through that committee, you can sort out the problems of title ownership, transfer of interest, when you have the appropriate professionals as members of the committee to guide the committee and make appropriate recommendations to the government and the House of Assembly to move forward in terms of land provision.

“One of the key challenges in housing provision is land. You have land that you cannot transfer, or make economic interest from by doing a mortgage. That is key issue where you have a challenge of housing. Some developers just develop, but to be able to convert what you buy from them to mortgage for you to invest in other businesses and grow the economy becomes challenging. These are issues that we want to bring up to you at this our first meeting of familiarisation with your committee,” he said.

NIESV, Lagos State Branch, Bamigbola said, is ready to support the Housing Committee and the government through professional advisory and technical partnership, to achieve the desired housing goals for the benefit of the people.

A member of the House of Assembly, Bisi Yusuf, who represents Alimosho Constituency 1, promised that his committee would take up the land bank idea, charging the team to submit a blueprint on the subject.

He said: “Housing deficit in Lagos State is alarming. I want total transformation because I know we can do it. It is human beings that built Dubai. We can replicate Dubai here. We want to solve the problem. We want to change the status quo and, with your help, I know we can do it. The government cannot do it alone, we need the private sector. We will call you to champion it

“The Land Use and Allocation Committee is also very important. Land is to us as petroleum is to Niger Delta, but we are not making good use of it enough. The government can make a lot of money from ratifying land and we can use the money to build new homes. Some properties can be regenerated through the help of Estate Surveyors & Valuers. The owner will be compensated, the government will earn and the developer will earn too.

“You will also be making your input in the LASRERA Bill. The bill is in first reading. During the second reading, we will do public hearing and NIESV will make input and submit it to the house committee for ratification,” Yusuf said.

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

The Managing Director of PWAN Plus Business Concerns Limited. Dr Julius Oyedemi, has been decorated with the prestigious UN-POLAC Peace Advocate Award, courtesy of  the United Nations Positive Livelihood Award Centre (UN-POLAC).

With the decoration, the real estate big player will actively be involved in “peacemaking, conflict resolution and other activities that encourage peace and positive living” anywhere in the world.

Oyedemi’s appointment was conveyed in  a letter by UN-POLAC Director General, Prof. Halo B. Eton, dated September 18.

It reads: “In line with the UN General Assembly’s declaration, POLAC collaborates with UNESCO to commemorate the “Human Rights Day 2020” with the Theme: “Stand Up for Human Rights.

“This day, therefore, provides individuals globally a shared date to reiterate the fact that “Global Peace is a collective responsibility”.

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“As part of the event for the celebration, there will be an appointment/presentation of certificates and awards as International Peace Advocates to individuals of proven integrity who exhibit the ideals of living for the sake of others and commit themselves to promote universal moral values, strong family life, social harmony, inter-religious and ethnic co-operation and the culture of peace.

“In addition to these special qualities, the appointment encourages these individuals to be role models in community services & peace-making.

”In view of the foregoing, the trustees of POLAC recognise that you exemplify these qualities and wish to convey to you, their decision to appoint you an International Peace UN-POLAC Advocate.

“This appointment comes with the following benefit: UN-POLAC Certificate of Appointment; UN-POLAC International IdentiUty Card; Investiture Apparel; UN-POLAC Flag of Authority to be hoisted at any place of your choice and UN-POLAC Special Vehicle Plate Number in collaboration with the FRSC. (Available on request).

“As an International Peace Advocate, you can be called upon for peacemaking, conflict resolution and other activities that encourage peace and positive living in line with the best international ambassador.

The  investiture holds on December 10 at the Nigerian Merit Award House, Abuja.

By Emmanuel Udodinma

The Anambra State government has unveiled plans to deliver a new estate, the Green Valley Estate. The estate, to be sited in Awka, the state capital, will be completed within one year.

The project is being championed by the Anambra State Housing Development Corporation, in line with the Governor, Willie Obiano’s determination to provide affordable housing for the people.

The estate, to be built on a 52-hectare land, is a public-private partnership (PPP) between the government and some notable estate developers.

Speaking at the document signing, the Chairman of Anambra State Housing Development Board, Emeka Etiaba,  said the government prioritised housing as a critical infrastructure that would fast-track development in the state.

Etiaba thanked Obiano for the support given to the board and the corporation to carry out its responsibilities.

He said: “In the next couple of months, we will sign another MoU with the Federal Mortgage Bank to deliver low-cost housing for civil servants.”

He charged the contractors to deliver the project within time and according to specification.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the corporation,  Willie Okafor, said  compensation had been paid to the three communities of Eziama Village in Awka, Umuneri Village in Isuaniocha and Enugwu-Agidi for the corporation to acquire the land. He noted that the Green Valley Estate would have modern amenities comparable to any in the world.

Responding on behalf of the contractors, John. C. Okoye of John Joe & Partners, thanked the corporation for the transparent process of selecting the contractors and promised that they would not only deliver a quality project, but also do it within the stipulated time of 12 months.

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

The Managing Director Curves and Curvatures Limited, Mr Oluwole Oloruntobi, has explained why his organisation uses eco-friendly bricks.

He said the technology behind the eco-bricks is outstanding, and one of the best in Nigeria, attracting accolades for jobs it had done in Abuja, Lagos, Ogun and Ondo states.

He told The Nation in Lagos that they built their premium estates, Hill City Park and the Bricks Planet Project, with the material.

On why he prefers the material to regular blocks, he said it was eco-friendly, sturdy and appeals to the eye.

Speaking on the affordability of the houses, Oloruntobi said they target low-to-medium income groups with emphasis on durability and quality.

“Our core value is to ensure that Nigerians at home and in the diaspora have access to quality homes at a very affordable price. Quality, affordability and integrity are our mainstay in our business and that is why we have been able to attract Nigerians in diaspora to patronise us,” he explained.

He said: “The eco-bricks have a lot of advantages. First, it is 100 per cent stronger than regular cement bricks. Secondly, it is weather friendly. Being weather-friendly, I mean when it is hot outside, it is cool inside; and when it is cold outside (probably during the harmattan season, it is warm inside. So, it is a fantastic one. We produce it ourselves on the site location, to ensure the quality is top-notch.”

On the payment plan, he said it ranges from six to 36 months without interest.

“So our clients can pay in instalments. As I said, our vision is to ensure that Nigerians have affordable and quality homes. Yes, we are making a profit, but it is not all about profit-making. What we are doing is borne out of passion, to contribute our quota to bridging the housing deficit in Nigeria,” he added.

Sixty years on, stakeholders in the housing sector insist that except flexible and innovative solutions are embraced in tackling the housing challenges, there may not be any noticeable change in the sector. They also canvass standardisation and public-private partnerships in achieving sustainable housing for all, Okwy Iroegbu–Chikezie reports.

The nation has been bedeviled by  challenges in the housing sector, leading to claims of about 20 million deficit.

This figure has, however, been contested by various groups, which insist that it is not in tandem with  reality.

Some argue that the figure is not reflective of the actual number of Nigerians in need of shelter. This argument is based on the belief that developers have continued to build for the category that is not in need of housing – building luxury apartments when low cost houses are required.

Arising from this, operators are united on a common belief – articulation and implementation of several government housing policies that litter the real estate sector.

No doubt, the nation has tinkered with policies to make the housing sector viable, but operators insist that fresh ideas, quality standards, competitive policies  and innovative solutions, including ensuring land liberalisation, are perhaps the panacea to the  sector’s myriad of challenges and the housing gap.

Chief Executive Officer, Octo5 Holdings Limited, Babajide Odusolu, called for intensive awareness that would lead to the elimination of  substandard housing. He noted that it was a major issue in the sector. He said the campaign would boost qualitative affordable mass shelters which would bridge the huge deficit.

Odusolu, who spoke while delivering a lecture entitled: “Housing in Nigeria: 60 years and still counting,” in Lagos, gave a history of evolution of Nigerian cities and made comparisons as well as lessons learnt from various housing development modules.

The event also coincided with the launch of STOW- a real estate app to facilitate the provision of affordable mass housing for workers.

According to him, the low-cost housing model of a former Governor of Lagos State, Lateef Jakande, has remained the most successful in the state, adding that the roads constructed by Jakande’s administration between 1979 and 1983 were still opening up new cities.

He said Nigeria was not a poor country but had low-income earners living in substandard houses and they commute long hours daily to their business districts to eke a living.

According to him, substandard housing and ignorance of how to access low interests housing financial opportunities were some of the factors responsible for the over three million  housing shortfalls in Lagos State alone.

He urged the government to realise its inadequacies in handling housing shortfalls and the need for it to collaborate with private developers. Such collaboration, it is believed, would help Nigerians to change their heavy consumption mindsets to embracing investments in homes.

“Unfortunately, 80 per cent of Nigerians spend their incomes on consumption and that has to change through this kind of awareness we are doing by bringing all the stakeholders together. Without private sector involvement,  there will be no housing in Nigeria. In the last three years,  all  states owned housing agencies combined in Nigeria built less than 10,000 houses, and  in the same period, private sector had delivered 100,000,’’ he said.

He added that COVID-19 had exposed the dangers of substandard housing for the workers, adding that this should be treated like a security issue to improve the living conditions of the citizens.

Odusolu said his organisation was committed to partnering mortgage institutions and other stakeholders to deliver quality and  affordable mass shelters to workers, at near single digit interest rates, and leveraging its newly-launched real estate.

However, he commended the Federal Government and state governments for creating policies that empower mortgage institutions, developers and other agencies to build affordable homes across the nation. He said STOW platform would address homebuyers’concerns which had impeded real estate investments in the past.

According to him, STOW is a web and app-enabled home purchase platform for off-plan and new-build homes provided by proven real estate developers.

The Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank (FMBN), Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, called on operators to work with the government in providing affordable housing, as housing remained a major contributor to the economy.

He said the sector was still an emerging market and a reflection of the nation’s economic development. He affirmed that the country was running on housing deficit against what it had guaranteed and that the government as well as the private sector needed to come on board to do more.

According to him, the government  should allow more private establishment to partner the FMBN in providing houses for the citizens. He stressed that despite having other government housing agencies, the private sector should be encouraged to invest in and be given access to funds.

He further asked relevant institutions to review and amend obsolete laws to improve access to land and mortgages, stating that the Land Use Act had been in use since the 1970s without amendment.

Ahmad called on the leaders to start seeing housing as part of economic development that is of benefit to the government. He said: “The government has to ensure that the private sector is provided with the needed environment while the government should give the regulatory frame work. Our leaders must start thinking that housing is an economic development that would assist the government. It is better the government comes on board and start thinking how to strengthen some institutions in the sector in terms of leveraging them to access fund, not only through the government but through private partnership.”

A former consultant to the World Bank/IFC on Land Reforms, Housing Finance, Urban Renewal and Doing Business in Nigeria,  Ali Mohammed Magashi,  also called on stakeholders to synergise towards accelerating the provision of housing for all. He called on the government to be more committed to the housing sector, which he described as the largest contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), stating that unimpressive results have been achieved in the sector.

Magashi explained that what Nigeria needed was institutional infrastructure. According to him,  considering the importance of housing, and its benefits of creating jobs, it should be given serious attention by the government.

He added: “Housing is a macroeconomic infrastructure for the government. There has to be a deliberate commitment by governments to develop the primary mortgage market and to link the primary mortgage market to the capital market. So, second key players in this country are no secondary players should be encouraged.”