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The Federal Government has commenced the construction of 250 units of two-bedroom bungalows for federal civil servants under the Renewed Hope Civil Service Estate in Gwagwalada, Abuja.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Darma, said the project was part of the Federal Government’s broader housing intervention across the 36 states of the federation.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday in Abuja, Darma said the civil service estate was designed to provide affordable housing for civil servants while improving efficiency within the public service.
He said, “I must mention that we have projects in all the 36 states of the federation of Nigeria and in Abuja here; this particular one is representing one of the many projects we have in Abuja.
“This civil service estate has a unique character. It is a wider housing intervention because it has a focus on the people who are providing these housing units. So if you have a focus, you must identify the people by providing cheap and affordable housing to civil servants.
“What we are doing is we are bringing efficiency into the civil service. We are contributing in the ministry to your aim and your objective of making this civil service corruption-free.
“Therefore, I must talk to the consultants, the supervising teams from the ministry, the contractors, the stakeholders around and all others to make sure that what we are providing today stands the test of time.”
The minister charged contractors, supervisors and consultants involved in the project to ensure quality construction and durability.
He said, “The contractors must make sure that they provide quality housing units. Supervisors and consultants must make sure that these housing units that we are providing are of quality and things that will last the test of time.”
Darma also assured Nigerians that the ministry would deliver on the housing mandate of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stressing that the government would not only make promises but would ensure their implementation.
He said, “As for the ministry, I would like to tell all of you who are here that we must meet the mandate of the government. We don’t only make promises; we deliver them. We don’t only say we are providing housing units. We commission housing units, and we ask and give keys to the people to enter into their own houses.
“Therefore, as far as the mandate of President Bola Tinubu is concerned when it comes to providing housing, we will make sure that we fulfil that mandate.”
The minister outlined several housing projects expected to be delivered before May 2027, including 132 rent-to-own houses, 252 units in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, 300 units in Abuja, 2,800 units in Karsana, Abuja, another 1,500 units in September and 2,129 units in December.
Also speaking, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, described the project as an important milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to improve the welfare of civil servants.
She said, “I have so much joy in my heart as I witness an important milestone in our commitment to the welfare of federal civil servants, as we lay the foundation for 250 units of two-bedroom bungalows at the Renewed Hope Civil Service Estate here in Gwagalada.
“A public partnership between the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. And so this is more than a housing project. This estate represents a promise of a better future for civil servants and their families.”
Walson-Jack said the project gave practical expression to the Renewed Hope agenda and demonstrated the government’s commitment to workers’ welfare.
She said, “Housing goes beyond bricks and mortar. It is fundamentally about people. For a civil servant, home ownership offers security, peace of mind, and a lasting reward for years of dedicated service to the nation.”
She urged state governments to adopt similar initiatives and reminded federal civil servants of the government’s housing loan scheme.
She said, “Permit me also to use this opportunity to remind federal civil servants that the federal government’s approved annual 10 billion naira housing loan scheme provided by the Federal Mortgage Bank, and I’m happy the M.D. is here, is available and can be accessed by eligible officers through the Federal Government Staff Loans Board.”
Walson-Jack stressed the need for timely completion and allocation of the houses to eligible civil servants. She said, “Civil servants cannot live in architectural drawings, beautiful brochures, or groundbreaking ceremonies. They need completed houses and keys.”
She added that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation had provided 305 housing units under the Federal Integrated Staff Housing Programme, while over 40,000 beneficiaries had accessed housing loans through the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Shuaib Belgore, said the government must ensure that the groundbreaking translated into actual delivery.
Belgore said, “As we commence this project, the responsibility before us is to ensure that the promise presented by today’s groundbreaking is translated into actual results. This requires discipline, project implementation, effective supervision, adherence to approved specifications and standards, quality workmanship and timely completion.”
The project is part of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Housing Programme, designed to provide affordable homes for Nigerians across different income groups.
The programme includes Renewed Hope Cities, Renewed Hope Estates and Renewed Hope Social Housing Estates, with the Renewed Hope Estates planned as 250-unit developments targeted at middle-income earners, including civil servants, teachers, healthcare workers, traders and artisans
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