By Cynthia Alo

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has commended Alaro City’s integrated housing and industrial development in the Lekki Free Zone, describing it as a model capable of driving Nigeria’s industrialisation and reducing the country’s dependence on imported building materials.

Dangiwa, who spoke during an inspection tour of the Lekki Free Zone in Lagos, said Alaro City’s approach of combining residential estates, industrial hubs, and commercial centres demonstrates how urban planning can deliver sustainable housing while attracting long-term investments.

According to him, housing is central to economic development, particularly in industrial corridors where workers require decent and affordable communities.

“Housing is key to any industrial hub. For industries to thrive, workers must have access to affordable, well-planned communities. With location advantages such as the International Airport, the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the growing residential developments in this corridor, and the vision of Alaro City, we are seeing the building blocks of a truly sustainable economic ecosystem,” the Minister said.

The visit was also part of government’s effort to identify suitable locations for a new building materials manufacturing hub, an initiative aimed at establishing production centres across Nigeria’s geo-political zones to support domestic supply and export.

He praised the management of Alaro City for aligning with the Federal Government’s housing agenda through sustainable building methods and partnerships with the private sector.

Spread across 2,000 hectares, Alaro City is a public-private partnership between Rendeavour and the Lagos State Government.

The development already hosts more than 90 businesses, including Ariel Foods, which exports therapeutic foods to 17 countries; TY Logistics Park, the first Grade A logistics hub in West Africa; and BUA Starium, a large-scale detergent manufacturing facility.