FG reviews Chinese firm's proposal to build 10,000 homes in 30 months

The Federal Government has begun reviewing a proposal from China Hyway Group Limited to build 10,000 housing units across Nigeria within 30 months. The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development announced the development in a statement on Tuesday.

If approved, the project will use prefabricated construction technology under an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing (EPC+F) model to deliver affordable housing across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones.

Minister sets up review committee

Following a presentation by China Hyway Group, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma, directed the constitution of a committee comprising relevant directors in the ministry to undertake a comprehensive review of the proposal and recommend the next line of action.

The proposal was presented during a meeting between the minister and a delegation from the Chinese company led by its Chief Engineer, Lewis Chima.

“Our mandate is to ensure that more Nigerians have access to affordable and decent housing. We are therefore ready and willing to provide land in Abuja, across the states and in local government areas, subject to due process and the fulfilment of all statutory requirements,” the minister said.

“This proposal is encouraging because it aligns with the Renewed Hope Housing Programme and our determination to reduce the nation's housing deficit.”

The minister said the proposal aligns with President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises expanding access to affordable, decent and sustainable housing through strategic public-private partnerships. He added that the ministry remains committed to creating an enabling environment for genuine investors by facilitating access to land and providing the institutional support required for successful project implementation.

Company eyes Nigeria's housing gap

China Hyway Group's Chief Engineer, Lewis Chima, said the company was attracted by Nigeria's estimated 17 million-unit housing deficit and economic potential. The company plans to deploy advanced prefabricated construction technology under the EPC+F model, integrating project design, financing, construction and delivery into a single framework.

Chima said the approach would enable the delivery of 10,000 housing units within 30 months while reducing construction costs, improving quality, shortening completion timelines and enhancing project risk management through international financing support.

He added that the company is seeking a long-term partnership with the Federal Government to help reduce Nigeria's housing deficit, create jobs, promote technology transfer and support sustainable urban development.

The ministry's Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, assured the delegation of the ministry's commitment to promoting strategic partnerships that will advance the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda and accelerate the delivery of affordable, quality and sustainable housing.

What the housing deficit means for Nigeria

Nigeria faces one of the largest housing shortages in Africa, driven by rapid urbanisation, population growth, rising construction costs, and limited access to affordable housing finance. To bridge the gap, about 550,000 housing units need to be built annually. This would require an estimated N5.5 trillion every year over the next 10 years, according to former Minister of Housing, Musa Dangiwa.

Given the scale of the financing required, the Federal Government has adopted different delivery models under the Renewed Hope Housing Programme, combining fully government-funded projects with Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements to mobilise private capital for large-scale housing delivery.

The funding model is reflected in the pricing of the housing units. The Minister of Housing disclosed that government-funded one-bedroom apartments under the Renewed Hope Estates Programme were priced between N8 million and N9 million, while similar one-bedroom units developed through PPP arrangements under the Renewed Hope Cities Programme were priced at about N22 million.

If approved, the China Hyway proposal would add another large-scale PPP housing initiative to the government's efforts, although the project remains under review and has not yet received final approval for implementation.