FG Launches Affordable Housing Scheme via Cooperatives

The Federal Government of Nigeria unveiled a new affordable housing scheme aimed at enhancing housing delivery through cooperative reform. The initiative, disclosed by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, focuses on strengthening cooperative societies as vehicles for economic inclusion and affordable housing delivery.

The government plans to establish a cooperative bank to provide financing for housing schemes, targeting underserved Nigerians, particularly workers in the informal sector. Abdullahi emphasized the necessity of a robust digital infrastructure to modernize cooperative operations and improve financial management.

The scheme prioritizes women, youth, persons with disabilities, farmers, and low-income earners. The founder of Nigeria Integrate Social Housing Cooperative Ltd, Sahe Adelakun, criticized traditional public-private partnerships and advocated for a public-private-people partnership approach to make housing affordable for low and middle-income earners.

The current cooperative federation, led by Hannatu Mershak, supervises 50,000 cooperatives with 30 million members nationwide.