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Daniel Adaji
Nearly three months past the December 2024 deadline, the Federal Government has yet to deliver the 1,000 housing units of the Renewed Hope Cities project in Karsana, Abuja, as pledged by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa.
Dangiwa promised that the first 1,000 units would be completed by the end of 2024, with additional units slated for delivery by mid-2025 for commissioning by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He made this commitment as part of the government’s effort to combat housing deficit in the region under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estate programme which aimed to provide 100,000 housing units nationwide, including 3,112 units in the Karsana pilot phase.
Despite these promises, the governmemt has refused to provide reasons for missing the December 2024 deadline and has not provided a new timeline for the project’s completion.
Nigeria faces a staggering housing deficit, with estimates ranging from 15.56 million units in 2019 to 28 million units in 2023, highlighting a rapidly worsening situation.
This shortfall has led to approximately 24 million Nigerians lacking homes, with many resorting to living in inadequate and insecure housing conditions.
In the FCT, the housing crisis is particularly acute. The rapid influx of people seeking better opportunities has outpaced the development of affordable housing, resulting in the proliferation of informal settlements and slums.
Reports indicate that a significant portion of Abuja’s population resides in substandard housing, lacking basic amenities and facing overcrowded conditions.