Lagos built 3,000 homes in 5 years- Sanwo-Olu
By Adeola Ogunrinde
The governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has disclosed that his administration built 3,000 homes for residents in less than five years.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed further that efforts were ongoing to reduce the 17 million housing deficit in the state.
The Governor made this known recently at the Conference of Directors of Lands in the Federal and State Ministries, Departments and Agencies, held in Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Housing, Barr.Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, said that the housing projects were delivered through Direct Budgetary Allocation and Joint Venture Partnership.
He said the need for the provision of mass housing schemes as well as other supporting public infrastructure was informed by the growing housing deficit in Nigeria which has now risen from seven million in 1991 to an estimated 28 million in 2023.
According to him, out of the 28 million housing deficit figure, Lagos stands at a 17 million deficit, with an estimated 500,000 people migrating into the state annually.
“It is pertinent to address the housing gap in the state with credence to the burning national issues. The growing housing deficit in Nigeria has risen from seven million in 1991 to an estimated 28 million in 2023”, he said.
The Governor said that there were ongoing projects in various locations across the state, adding “which include Ibese Phase II, Egan, Sangotedo, Epe, and Badagry, to mention but a few”.
Speaking earlier, the Federal Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, disclosed that a nationwide adoption of the Model Mortgage Foreclosure Law, a housing industry stakeholders’ initiative was another reform embraced by President Bola Tinubu.
The Minister commended the efforts of the Lagos state government in digitising its operations, applauding Kaduna and Kano states for implementing reforms.
He uurged other states to emulate them.
“As of today, the Model Mortgage Foreclosure Law has been passed in four states, including Lagos, Kaduna, Ekiti, and Nasarawa States. We aim to drive its passage in all the states of the federation as part of our efforts to ensure that investments in the housing and mortgage sector are protected.
“We must think out of the box, innovate and learn to do things differently. This will help us make progress and change the narrative going forward”, he said.
