The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Housing

  • Fire guts housing estate

    Four blocks were yesterday razed at the Dan Ladi Nassidi Estate in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.  Property worth millions of naira were destroyed.

    Residents of the biggest estate in Kano with over 3,000 houses said they were disappointed that there was no fire service station in the estate.

    They waited an hour before arrival of the state fire service from another part of the town.

    Head of the estate’s vigilance group, Musa Lawal, said: “We were attending a security meeting with police officers when we heard about the fire at noon. We did everything but could not put the fire out. We sent a distress call to fire service officials and waited for more than one hour before they arrived. Then, the damage had been done. We were angry.

    “But when they explained that there was another fire at a government school in Gwale Local Government, which they put out before coming here, we were pacified.”

    An official of the fire service, Adamu Mustapha, said there was no casualty.

    The four blocks belong to a senior administration and finance official of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), an engineer, an official of the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) and one other.

  • Housing for all: Living on fantasy island?

    Housing for all: Living on fantasy island?

    The phrase-affordable ousing, has become more of a cliché because not many Nigerians can afford the so-called houses. It is not only the houses provided by private developers that are beyond the reach of mst Nigerians, the ones built by the government are equally offered at punitive prices.

    The reason for this is not far fetched: it is simply because the cost of getting these houses are completely prohibitive. Those that need to be accommodated- the lower and middle income earners cannot afford them. It is more disheartening, when the government that has  the social responsibility of providing shelter for its people put on sale, houses that are priced beyond the income of the people they were targeted at.

    For instance, the Ogun State Property and Investment Company (OPIC), in its New Makun City housing scheme at Shagamu interchange on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, has placed a N15 million price tag on a three-bedroom bungalow sitting on about 78 square meters. The price is said to be inclusive of a plot of land, which OPIC priced at N2.5 million.

    The same goes for that of Lagos State under the Lagos Home Owners Mortgage Scheme (LagosHOMS), where Lagosians, truly desirous of partaking in the scheme, have cried out against its high cost. Under this scheme, depending on the location, a one-bedroom unit in a block of flats can cost as much as N5.7 million. Fears are that with the free fall of the naira, the prices may be reviewed upwards as the cost of construction will definitely rise.

    More worrisome is the initial deposit of between 10 and 30 per cent required for these houses. At N5.7 million, 30 per cent deposit translates to N1.71 million. Now, with the minimum wage pegged at N18, 000 per month, that translates to N216, 000 per annum.

    The question now is: Can there truly be affordable housing in the country? What is the way out of this?

    The Chief Executive Officer, Aggregates and Concrete, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Loren Zanin, explained that houses have become expensive in this clime because efforts to reduce the country’s housing deficit, estimated at 17 million, are not commensurate with the population growth.

    According to him, affordable housing means building homes that are accessible to the vast majority of the people adding that his firm has a team that builds high quality and affordable houses which people are happy to live in.

     Affordable housing model

    The concept of affordable housing according to Zanin, is a general term which again is relative in interpretation. For instance, he explained that N50million can be affordable to some people, while N2million can be affordable to others. “So it depends on the homeo wner,” he said. He said his firm is only making homes available by creating access to home ownership. One of the major things, he explained, is cost, a factor that has motivated the firm to go into affordable housing initiative with the aim of bringing down construction costs through technology.

    Zanin said the firm works with some developers, who provide the land and the cement giant, Lafarge, which  provides the technology. By this, he said, construction is industrialised, making it faster, neater and with minimal wastage. “This is where affordability comes in. The other area the firm focuses on is making bricks that are durable,” Zanin said, adding that “the target is to build and bring the cost as low as possible, since our focus is on the low-income earners, those at the end of the pyramid.

    “We have two ways of doing that: the microfinance scheme and mass housing. So, if it has volume and is required to have low cost, you will find us there.”

    He  added  that  even though houses are not available for the base of the pyramid, it is also not available for the middle class, thereby making the term “affordability” relative.

    Foray into affordable housing

    He said Lafarge Africa is not new to this concept, but only just trying to make it more efficient and deliver more quality units to home owners. “We have been into housing for 193 years, but now we are focusing more on what we want to deliver. It is not just in Nigeria, in Malawi, we do affordable housing; in France. We also do affordable housing because even in the developed countries, there is need for low cost housing for the citizens,” he explained, adding that this year, LaFarge Africa’s target is to build at least 3,000 homes in Nigeria.

     

    Achieving the feat

    Already, concrete steps seem to have been taken by the firm to achieve the target. For instance, the firm recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Fortis Microfinance Bank for the provision of 3,000 housing units target this year. With this, the firm hopes to reach more home owners and have better spread of homes.

    Head, Affordable Housing & Building, Lafarge Africa Plc., Mrs. Jumoke Adegunle, buttressed this position. She said through the company’s partnerships with Shelter Afrique, LAPO Microfinance Bank, among others, more houses have been delivered to the public. “We look at ways we can take advantage of these partnerships, relationships and in-house strength to make sure that we deliver value and also avoid some risks. Some of them are beyond our control, but we have to carry on because the future of Nigeria is very bright. Also, there is an existing partnership between Lafarge and Ogun State. Talks are also at an advanced stage with Lagos State government. “The cement manufacturing giant is also currently working in the Northeast too where there are a lot of displaced people, to provide them shelter. There is a lot of oil, gas, agriculture and people. So, the potential is very high and we are positioned, this year may not be as good, but next year, we are hoping that things will be much better. We  can’t  just stop because things are tough,” Adegunle explained.

    She said while the country is waiting for the government to do something,  there is a lot going on in the business space. This is where her firm sees projections and tries to work as much as possible within them. For instance, Adegunle said with 17 million housing deficit, and an ever growing population, then there’s a lot of houses to be built.

     

    Govt policy vs affordability

    Both Zanin  and Adegunle agree that one of the biggest issues affecting  homes affordability is the high interest rate on mortgage for homeowners. For certain category of people, they advised government to have facility to make it lower. “Some people can afford to pay 20 per cent interest rate, for instance, but for some others, it should be much lower; that will be  a huge advantage if the government can reduce the cost of mortgage. It is a big factor in housing provision,” Adegunle said.

    Besides, Zanin disclosed that government policy summersault has remained a natural fear in the country, obviously because of past experience. He, however, said Lafarge has not had any troubles with the government.

    Indeed, the era of affordable housing may still remain unattainable, especially because many developers run from affordable housing because small profit margin believed to be associated with it. But according to Zanin, this may not be the case again, especially when his firm’s technology, which comes with speed, less wastages compared to when brick and mortar are used, are deployed. This is because it reduces the cost of homes and housing to between 15 and 20 per cent.

    Given the prevailing scarcity of land in places such as Lagos, Zanin feared that since a lot of people prefer bungalows to high-rise buildings with some space around them for  gardens, the challenge of affordable housing may linger.

  • Affordable housing: Shelter Afrique, CMB sign N3.3b deal

    Affordable housing: Shelter Afrique, CMB sign N3.3b deal

    Shelter Afrique (SAf), a Pan-African housing finance and development agency, has signed an agreement with a real estate development company, CMB Building Maintenance and Investment Company Limited.

    The agreement, signed at the headquarters of the financial institution in Kenya, will provide  a loan of N3.3 billion to the firms.

    SAF’s Managing Director Mr. James Mugerwa and Managing Director of CMB, Mr Kelechukwu Mbagwu, signed for their firms.

    The cash is for the construction of Pearl Nuga Court Estate in Lagos, and also provide mortgage for off-takers that may want to key into the scheme.

    According to Mbagwu, the deal represents a step in the right direction as it fits into the vision of the government and other stakeholders to provide affordable housing for Nigerians.

    While agreeing that the private sector has the most strategic role to play in ensuring that housing deficit is reduced to its barest minimum, Mbagwu said the fundamentals of the real estate sector remains strong and healthy despite the turbulent economic terrain of last year.

    He urged the Federal Government to support the sector’s growth by creating and enforcing policies and laws that ensure that private sector development thrives through financial capitalisations and easily accessible construction finance.

    Mbagwu canvassed the government’s support.

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr.Babatunde Fashola, in his inaugural ministerial briefing assured that the Federal Government will lead an intervention to increase housing supply by not only undertaking construction of public housing, but also by formulating policies that will invariably lead to private sector participation and ownership  to reduce the country’s housing deficit.

    Stakeholders have since lauded this initiative, as they see in it a further boost to tackle the housing shortage that is being faced in the country, especially when it is considered that the country’s proportion of urban dwellers rose from 10.6 per cent of total population in 1953 to 19.1 per cent in 1963; 35.7 per cent in 1991 and 48.2 per cent in 2006.

    Besides, the 2006 National Population Census projected the urban population in the country at 50 per cent of total population by last year, a figure expected to rise to 60 per cent by 2025. The effect of this is that up to three out of five urban dwellers live without adequate shelter and basic services.

    CMB with over 12 years in real estate is receiving the support as part of the pan-African finance institution’s support of the real estate sector.

    Through such strategic partnerships, the financial institution offers products and related services, which support the efficient delivery of commercial real estate and affordable housing. Shelter Afrique has over 30 years in the industry and is in partnership with 44 African governments, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Africa Reinsurance Company.

  • Time for social housing

    SIR: On July 31, 2014, the Federal Government, launched the first 10,000 mortgages for affordable homes scheme. The then coordinating minister for the economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, stated that the mortgage scheme was inspired by President Goodluck Jonathan’s pledge on January 16, 2014 when he launched the Nigerian Mortgage Refinancing Company (NMRC) with a view to making mortgage accessible to Nigerians to enable them purchase and own their own homes.

    Nigerians were assured of being pre-qualified for 10,000 mortgages to be provided by lenders most of whom were present at the launch. The NMRC was set up as a re-financing vehicle to provide mortgage lending institutions with increased access to liquidity and long-term funds, since the ability of banks to deliver mortgage services is limited by the fact that 80 per cent of all banks’ deposits are for 30 days only. Housing has a longer gestation period than commercial loans can accommodate. The NMRC, in ensuring greater access to finance for tenure of up to 20 years, was to accelerate the growth of the mortgage market for all income levels. The 10,000 mortgages scheme has been derailed by inconsistency of government policies in Nigeria.

    In a country with over 80 percent of people within the poverty threshold, housing cannot be viewed as an economic good only. It is equally a social good. Housing is a right and several local and international covenants guarantee the right of people to social protection that will help to eliminate the worst manifestations of poverty. The right to housing is founded, deeply rooted and recognised under international laws.

    Recent plans by the federal authorities of President Muhammadu Buhari  to adopt sustainable housing programme, promote alternative energy in projects, stimulate jobs for the low income earners and partner state governments in the process of housing provision is laudable. With the new housing policy, the federal government plans to employ Lagos housing model (Laghoms) by constructing 40 blocks of housing in each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Each state is expected to provide land of between 5-10 hectares for a start, with title documents, and access roads or in lieu of access roads, a commitment that they will build the access roads by the time the houses are completed.

    This exercise will lead to potential delivery of 12 flats per block and 480 flats per state, and 17,760 flats nationwide. Human beings, generally by their nature, exhibit multi-territoriality. This means that the beneficiaries are definitely going to be those with one or two houses before. The number of flats to be delivered is also negligible and will not affect the graph of housing demand versus provision in Nigeria. Also, the Shehu Shagari-era federal housing experience shows that some states may decide to donate disused and inaccessible land to make the scheme unpopular considering the adversarial relations between states and federal governments in some areas. Most states are finding it difficult now to cope with infrastructure provision, especially payment of salaries and pension. They may therefore, not be able to provide infrastructures in the estates.

    Government has no excuses for abdicating its duty of care for the downtrodden and the vulnerable in Nigeria. Oil subsidy can be eradicated and in its place should be social housing development and agricultural grants. It will go a long way if the governments can declare state of emergency in housing and provide minimum of 500,000 houses every year as social housing for the poor in our major cities.

     

    • Olufemi A. Oyedele,

    Osogbo, Osun State.

  • Lafarge unveils affordable housing units

    Lafarge unveils affordable housing units

    Lafarge Holcim has unveiled a self-contained studio-flat at its Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos office in a move that may meet the desire of the majority, especially the low and middle income earners.

    The firm said the unveiling would serve as the bedrock upon which the firm’s planned delivery of a 500-unit of low cost housing in Gwagwalada, Abuja, is premised. The firm is executing the project with the Federal Government, which is contributing five hectares of land.

    The house types to be provided include two and three bedroom flats and studio types. Prices start from N1.5million for studio model, while others are between N4million and N6million.

    Its Head, Affordable Housing and Building, Mrs. Jumoke Adegunle, said the firm is taking affordable housing seriously. This, he said, informed its decision to come up with the studio model that are within the reach of singles and newly married couple, who are desirous to own their home, with little financial requirement.

    She said: “We are working on the possibility of delivering at least, 500 houses in Abuja in 2016. It is to be situated in Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in partnership with some developers.

    “As a long-term vision, Lafarge plans to come to the aid of individuals who would be home owners by assisting to help in building with this technology, which will not only be cost effective, but also saves time and offer quality.”

    The Project Contractor, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Tye-Wall Construction Ltd., Mr. Tunde Isiolaotan, said the building was developed using modern technology known as “aluminum shuttering.”

    He said the use of this technology saves between 20 and 25 per cent of what it would cost to build in conventional ways.

    Isiolaotan described the house as ‘bulletproof’ as a result of prefabricated concrete blocks used in making the shell. Also, the electric cables, plumbing materials and other amenities are conduit except wash hand basins and toilet closets.

  • Lafarge unveils affordable housing units

    Lafarge Holcim has unveiled a self-contained studio-flat at its Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos office in a move that may meet the desire of the majority, especially the low and middle income earners.

    This unveiling will serve as the bedrock upon which the firm’s planned delivery of a 500 unit of low cost housing in Gwagwalada, Abuja, is premised. The housing project is in partnership with the Federal Government, with equity contribution of five hectare land for the development.

    The house types to be provided include two and three bedroom flats and studio types. Prices starts from N1.5million for studio model, while others are between N4million and N6million.

    Its  Head, Affordable Housing and Building,  Mrs. Jumoke Adegunle, said the firm is taking affordable housing seriously. This, he said informed its decision to come up with the studio model that are within the reach of singles and newly married couple, who are desirous to own their home, with little financial requirement.

    She said: “We are working on the possibility of delivering at least, 500 houses in Abuja in 2016. It is to be situated in Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in partnership with some developers.

    “As a long term vision, Lafarge plans to come to the aid of individuals who would be home owners by assisting to help in building with this technology, which will not only be cost effective, but also save time and offer quality.”

    The project contractor, who is also the chief executive officer of Tye-Wall Construction Ltd., Mr. Tunde Isiolaotan, said the building was developed using modern technology known as “aluminum shuttering.” He said the use of this technology saves between 20 and 25 per cent of what it would cost to build in conventional ways.

    Isiolaotan described the house as ‘bulletproof’ as a result of prefabricated concrete blocks used in making the shell. Also, the electric cables, plumbing materials and other amenities are conduit except wash hand basins and toilet closets.

  • Infrastructure, housing to drive cement demand, says BUA chief

    Demand for cement will  be driven by building of infrastructure and housing development, Executive Director, BUA Group, Kabiru Rabiu has said.

    He said the firm’s target is to increase its capacity to 10 million metric tonnes per year by 2018.

    He said the company acquired a controlling stake at the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc, as well as Edo Cement.This is in addition to being one of the 13 companies given licences to bring in bulk cement into the local market.

    On how the plant is powered, he said the company established 30 kilometres of gas pipeline to power their cement plant in Edo State.

    He predicted that cement price will remain stable in the short term and gradually drop in the medium term.

    Speaking at an investor conference, Rabiu said though BUA started as a trading company, importing rice, cement and flour, it later turned to a major integrated manufacturer of these products locally thereby creating thousands of jobs for in the country.

    “The company started as a trading entity importing rice, edible oil, cement as well as flour into the Nigerian market. Over the years, it began the production of what it previously imported like edible oil as well as rice and flour milling,” he said.

    He said by 2005, the firm established its first flour mill in Lagos, followed by another in Kano with 5.5 million tonnes milling capacity per day.

    Also, in 2008, BUA Group set up the second-largest sugar refinery in sub-Saharan Africa, which is situated in Lagos with installed capacity of 720,000 metric tones, he added.

    “At the moment, companies within the group are separate entities within different divisions. We have the Infrastructure division and then we have the foods division. In the infrastructure segment, we have cement, real estate, steel and port operations,” Rabiu said.

    He explained that massive infrastructure projects, commercial and residential housing development will drive cement demand in Nigeria. The BUA boss said he learnt from informed sources that President Muhammdu Buhari’s administration planned to spend about $20 billion starting from next year on infrastructure.

  • Vitapur’s prefab can bridge housing gap, say Ajimobi, Kwankwaso, others

    Oyo State government and the Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Builders have endorsed the new pre-fabricated building by Vitapur Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Vitafoam Nigeria Plc. Besides, they praised Vitafoam for its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy, which  addresses fundamental needs of humanity, despite the ‘harsh’ operating environment.

    At the inauguration of the two pre-fabricated buildings donated by  Vitafoam Group to the Government College in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Aderonke Makanjuola, described the firm’s gesture as a strategic way  to take care of one of the basic needs of people.

    The governor said the CSR was the hallmark of sacrifice that  organisations could give back to the society that had done well for them.

    While recommending the pre-fabricated buildings to everyone, he said: “I would like to say a big thank you to the Board, management and staff of the Vitafoam Group for donating these two Pre- fabricated buildings constructed by Vitapur Nigeria Limited along with full furniture such as Sofas, Kitchen cabinets, Ward robes Mattresses and Pillows supplied by other Vitafoam subsidiaries to complement the edifices donated to the Government College Ibadan.”

    In what also amounted to an endorsement by all  builders, the chairman, Lagos State Institute of Builders, Mr. Ashimiyu Bashir declared that pre-fabricated buildings were of interest to all builders in globally.

    At the same occasion,  the former governor of Kano State, Senator Musa Rabiu Kwankwanso also commended Vitapur Nigeria Limited for the innovative pre-fabricated buildings and explained that it would be an option to the Federal Government in its efforts to address housing deficit in Nigeria

    The Managing Director, Vitafoam Group, Mr. Taiwo Adeniyi, explained that Vitapur Nigeria Limited had blazed the trail by acquiring a new state-of-the-art sandwich panel production line, which can produce a maximum length of 14.7 metre with varying thickness, the first of its kind in West Africa.

    According to him, Vitapur Sandwich panels can be used for constructing pre-fabricated structures; cold rooms; equipment shelters; quick shelter development; office partitioning; shopping malls; drop temp ceilings and others. Commenting on the benefits of rigid insulation board, Adeniyi said: “Vitapur Polyurethane Rigid Insulation board comes in various facings depending on intended application. These Insulation boards can be used as wall, floor and roof insulation. For new buildings, boards are usually used over the purlin before the roofing sheets while Vitapur spray foam application is preferred for existing roofs.”

    Adeniyi, who described Vitafoam as an integrated system, said all its subsidiaries are contributing effectively to the innovative products. He further stated that the inherent adaptability and durability of Vitapur’s prefabricated building units’ means that buildings can be developed to fulfill the needs of even the most demanding or obscure applications, creating functional buildings that are time and cost efficient, durable, adaptable and sustainable.

    Vitafoam Chairman, Dr. Dele Makanjuola explained that the project was borne out of the Corporate Social Responsibility that Vitafoam had got accustomed to and also to showcase another arm of the company’s business.

    Makanjuola noted that the company’s foam products are faster, easier and more efficient to mass housing construction in Nigeria.

    According to him, it has also proved that mass housing for our beloved country and Nigerians can be achieved faster, cheaper and with more effective and efficient means. He emphasised the uniqueness of prefabricated building in the area of insulation and stated that Vitapur had gone commercial in the production of panels for constructing pre-fabricated buildings.

  • NIESV’s recipe for housing deficit

    The Nigerian Institution of Estate Valuers (NIESV)’s Faculty of Housing, has announced the fourth edition of its annual summit. The theme for this year’s summit, which holds on November 19, at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Conference Center & Suites, Abuja is “Effective housing delivery models through community development.”

    The 2015 Conference chairman, Elder Biodun Odeleye, explained that the NIESV’s Faculty of Housing strategically chose the theme because its research and practical experience on housing problems, which have brought to the fore potent and effective methods to tackle the problems militating against effective housing delivery in Nigeria.

    The fourth edition, according to the chairman, promises to bring to the fore, for the benefit of the general public and the government, realistic models, which shall be affordable and provide a veritable tool for reducing the deficit in the housing sector in Nigeria. The World Bank has put the deficit at 17 million.

    The lead paper at the summit, titled: “Effective Housing Delivery Models through Community Development Concept”, will be delivered by Professor Olumide Olusanya of the Department of Architecture, University of Lagos. Other papers to be presented include: “Affordability for Informal Housing Clusters” by Mr. Bode Afolayan, the immediate past president, Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN); “Arresting Urban Decay through Effective Housing Management Strategies”, to be presented by Mr. Darlington Uzu, CEO, Crown Estate Limited, Lekki, Lagos.

    Lead discussants at the summit include NIESV’s second Vice President, Rowland Abonta; Professor Timothy Nubi of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Lagos; and Mr. Akin Olawore, principal consultant, Akin Olawore & Co, Lagos.

  • Vitapur’s prefab gets nod to tackle housing deficit

    Oyo State government and the Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Builders have endorsed the new pre-fabricated building by Vitapur Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Vitafoam Nigeria Plc. Besides, they praised Vitafoam on its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy, which aims at addressing fundamental needs of humanity despite the ‘harsh’ operating environment.

    Speaking during the commisioning of the two pre-fabricated buildings donated by  Vitafoam Group to Government College, Ibadan, Oyo State, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Oyo State  Ministry of Education, Mrs. Aderonke Makanjuola, described the firm’s gesture as a strategic way  to take care of one of the basic needs of the people.

    The governor explained that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was the hallmark of sacrifice that  organisations could give back to the society that had done well for them.

    While recommending the pre-fabricated buildings to everyone, he said: “I would like to say a big thank you to the Board, management and staff of the Vitafoam Group for donating these two Pre- fabricated buildings constructed by Vitapur Nigeria Limited along with full furniture such as Sofas, Kitchen cabinets, Ward robes Mattresses and Pillows supplied by other Vitafoam subsidiaries to complement the edifices donated to the Government College Ibadan.”

    In what also amounted to an endorsement by all  builders, the chairman, Lagos State Institute of Builders, Mr. Ashimiyu Bashir declared that pre-fabricated buildings were of interest to all builders in globally.

    At the same occasion,  the former governor of Kano State, Senator Musa Rabiu Kwankwanso also commended Vitapur Nigeria Limited for the innovative pre-fabricated buildings and explained that it would be an option to the Federal Government in its efforts to address housing deficit in Nigeria

    The Managing Director, Vitafoam Group, Mr. Taiwo Adeniyi, explained that Vitapur Nigeria Limited had blazed the trail by acquiring a new state-of-the-art sandwich panel production line, which can produce a maximum length of 14.7 metre with varying thickness, the first of its kind in West Africa.

    According to him, Vitapur Sandwich panels can be used for constructing pre-fabricated structures; cold rooms; equipment shelters; quick shelter development; office partitioning; shopping malls; drop temp ceilings and others. Commenting on the benefits of rigid insulation board, Adeniyi said: “Vitapur Polyurethane Rigid Insulation board comes in various facings depending on intended application. These Insulation boards can be used as wall, floor and roof insulation. For new buildings, boards are usually used over the purlin before the roofing sheets while Vitapur spray foam application is preferred for existing roofs.”

    Adeniyi, who described Vitafoam as an integrated system, said all its subsidiaries are contributing effectively to the innovative products. He further stated that the inherent adaptability and durability of Vitapur’s prefabricated building units’ means that buildings can be developed to fulfill the needs of even the most demanding or obscure applications, creating functional buildings that are time and cost efficient, durable, adaptable and sustainable.

    Vitafoam Chairman, Dr. Dele Makanjuola explained that the project was borne out of the Corporate Social Responsibility that Vitafoam had got accustomed to and also to showcase another arm of the company’s business.

    Makanjuola noted that the company’s foam products are faster, easier and more efficient to mass housing construction in Nigeria.

    According to him, it has also proved that mass housing for our beloved country and Nigerians can be achieved faster, cheaper and with more effective and efficient means. He emphasised the uniqueness of prefabricated building in the area of insulation and stated that Vitapur had gone commercial in the production of panels for constructing pre-fabricated buildings.

    “Pre-fabricated buildings are light weight and they are in vogue in America and many other countries. We are already operating at commercial level and we are willing to partner with the government at all tiers to make housing available to all Nigerians,” he said.