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Daniel Adaji
The Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria (AHCN) has warned state housing corporations to act swiftly or lose out on major federal housing opportunities.
The Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Housing Programme, which aims to deliver 50,000 housing units in its first phase, presents a critical opportunity for these agencies to contribute to solving the country’s housing deficit.
At the opening of AHCN’s strategic session on Monday in Abuja, the President, Eno Obongha, urged members to seize the “low-hanging fruits” offered by the programme, which is already underway across 14 locations.
“The Renewed Hope Programme could pass away without housing corporations benefiting if we fail to act,” Obongha said, highlighting the programme’s extensive reach, which includes a 3,112-unit project in Karsana, Abuja, and other projects in states such as Kano, Lagos, Ebonyi, and Delta.
Obongha stressed that many state housing corporations risked becoming obsolete, pointing out that some had not built a single house in 10 years.
“Some governors now treat housing corporations as mere departments under ministries,” he said, calling for an urgent reversal of such mergers to align with the National Housing Policy.
AHCN’s Executive Secretary Toye Eniola was blunt about the sector’s failings.
“Most housing corporations are stuck in the past — using manual typewriters, without websites, and unable to adapt to digital realities,” he said.
He blamed weak leadership, dependence on government salaries, and resistance to change for the sector’s decline.
Both leaders challenged corporations to transform, embrace technology, and operate like real businesses. They warned that without urgent change, housing agencies would miss out on the Renewed Hope programme, which also aims to create 1.25 million direct and indirect jobs, and risk total collapse.