By EBERE ORAKPO

PSC Solar UK Ltd., a solar panel/inverter manufacturing company, is set to deliverr 10,000 units of model solar-powered 1 & 2- bedroom affordable houses spread over several states and regions in Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Niger, Togo and Chad.

Managing Director/CEO of the company, Dr. Patrick Owelle, disclosed this at the official power-up ceremony held at the model site at Warewa, Ogun State.

“We want to provide decent and affordable housing such that even a security guard earning N100,000 a year can own a house just like in the US. So if they can pay as little as N100,000 deposit, they will have title document to the house.

“The most important thing for me is that this is a cross section of people that have been forgotten in this country and I think we are empowering them. We are developing estates where people can own instead of rent houses so I think all in all, that is the way forward. Another important aspect is that we guarantee electricity there 24 hours a day and seven days a week. That is something we cannot boast of anywhere else and they do not have to pay for the electricity, it is part of the package,” he said.

Owelle further stated that “the double whammy” of inadequate electricity supply and affordable housing precipitated the need for the initiative. “They will live in a two-bedroom home, howbeit a small home but it is their home for the entirety of their life. As their finances get better, they can then upgrade to a bigger house and sell or rent out the smaller one.”

He said the typical housing project will be located within 15 – 45 meters drive of major cities, noting that they are in discussions with several state and federal government in Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Niger, Benin and Chad to build affordable single family housing units powered exclusively by solar power located in the suburbs of major cities in all the six countries.

He said each unit will be built on a plot of 300sqm and 750 units are planned for the estate with three open parks and green space. “The first of the estates is scheduled to be constructed on the 100-acre/600plot PSC Solar UK Ltd Gardens Estate at Warewa, along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway less than 10 minutes drive to Alausa, Ikeja Lagos or 25 minutes drive to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport.

This will be the first housing estate in Nigeria where diesel or petrol generator with their attendant fumes and noise pollution are banned. Each home will sell for between N2 million and N4.5 million depending on space and options.

Prospective owners only require 10 per cent down payment and can pay on monthly basis over a period five, 10 or 15years at single digit interest rate making home ownership cheaper than rest in the big cities,” he stated.