The Federal Government has identified the lack of access to mortgage finance as one of the major causes of housing deficit in Nigeria.

According to the government, four out of five (80 per cent) citizens cannot afford even a mortgage as a measure to get a home.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, stated this, yesterday, in his keynote address at the opening of the maiden Kaduna International Housing Exhibition, in Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall, Kaduna.

He identified affordability as the major issue governments at all levels should address in their desire to deliver sustainable housing to the citizens.

Statistics, Dangiwa noted, have shown that almost half of Nigeria’s population of over 201 million are poor and have weak purchasing power.

“In fact, of the 43 million households, over 85 per cent have less than N1.1 million purchasing power. Of this, about 17.2 million (40 per cent) households fall into the poverty income group and about 20.2 million (47 per cent) fall into the low-income group.

“On the whole, statistics reveal that Nigeria is a low-income country, with only 13 per cent of its population as middle class. The recent macro-economic challenges, including inflation, have made things worse,” he said.

The minister, however, said: “It is against this background that the President Bola Tinubu-led government, through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, is planning to establish a National Social Housing Fund (NSHF).”

Dangiwa explained that under the NSHF, the Federal Government was planning to pool funds from the government budget, philanthropic organisations and well-meaning Nigerians towards providing decent shelter for Nigerians with no income, low-income and vulnerable brackets, who could not afford to own their homes.

“Some of these units will be delivered at no cost. We have developed the concept note that is undergoing review. Once concluded, we will present it to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval and legislation.

“Social housing is not a necessity; it is a security insurance for the rich and the poor. Because housing is capital-intensive and the government has limited funds, we must find alternative collective avenues to help our underprivileged brothers and sisters. It is for our collective good.”

Earlier in his address, Governor Uba Sani, who was represented by his Deputy, Hadiza Balarabe, said the provision of affordable houses for Kaduna citizens was a key priority of his administration and committed to addressing the housing deficit across the state in line with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to him, Qatar Charity, in partnership with the Kaduna government, is constructing Mass Housing for the Less Privileged and Kaduna Economic City, all in Millennium City, Kaduna.

“I recently performed the ground-breaking for the construction of the 3319 Hectares Nuru Suraj Ungwar Dosa New Extension Layout. This project is being executed through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). Nuru Suraj and the Kaduna government are working together to develop 35,000 plots for our people”

In his welcome address, the Managing Director, Kaduna State Development and Property Company (KSDPC), Abubakar Rabiu Abubakar, announced the launch of two social initiatives: the Arewa Construction Academy and the KSDPC Housing Cooperative Society, demonstrating the state’s commitment to social investment, skill development, and addressing the housing needs of low and middle-income families.