…Akume reiterates FG’s dedication to tackling housing deficit

…FHA Mall to employ over 500 Nigerians

The Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Tuesday, commissioned a four-storey, 59-shop mall in Gwarinpa; erected by the Authority to boost economic activities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and to curb unemployment.

Speaking Tuesday in Abuja, during the commissioning of the FHA Mall, Gwarinpa, Abuja, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of FHA, Hon Oyetunde Ojo, said, on assumption of duties, the mall was one of the projects he inherited, but that, with the charge of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that the days of abandoned projects are over in mind, the FHA management put in everything it could to revive it.

He said the mandate of the FHA Management is hinged on the mantra of Renewed Hope, “which is embedded not only on provision of affordable and livable houses to Nigerians, but also in the provision of such facilities as this, that would create conducive business atmosphere to Nigerians living or doing business in our estate.”

He said the mall, which is the tallest in Abuja, will provide direct employment for over 500 Nigerians, thereby helping the government to tackle unemployment.

He said: “I dare to say that today’s event is an epoch making one, because here we are commissioning one of the tallest malls in Abuja. The resolve of our management to deliver this project sums up the spirit and cohesion we share in carrying out our job. On assumption of duties, this was one of the projects we inherited and with the charge of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that the days of abandoned projects are over in mind, management put in everything we could to revive it, and today it is being commissioned.

“The structure is a 4 suspended floor edifice, comprising of 59 shopping spaces and a penthouse, serviced with all modern amenities for the comfort of the users. As Management, our mandate is hinged on the mantra of Renewed Hope, which is embedded not only on provision of affordable and livable houses to Nigerians, but also in the provision of such facilities as this, that would create conducive business atmosphere to Nigerians living or doing business in our estate.

“We are not stopping only in Gwarinpa estate, our blueprint is to extend this type of facility to all our estates for the comfort of our residents. Just like this edifice, which was conceived and developed from our site office here in Gwarinpa, we were also able to construct another complex from our old site office in Lugbe to provide a more conducive working environment for our staff in the Lugbe office, and also as a way for generating revenue to the Authority. It consists of other business spaces and also houses our bank: FHA Mortgage Bank.

“As the SGF is aware, on assumption of office, we quickly embarked on the acquisition of land, which is an essential ingredient in housing provision. To achieve this, we visited 28 states of the country and were given lands in all. The Governors displayed exceptional spirit of statesmanship as we were in most cases allocated lands free of charge and can boast of many Certificates of Occupancy.

“With land secured, we have now commenced the process of constructing our Renewed Hope Estates in 17 states of the country in the 1st phase, having concluded the procurement processes with the intention of providing affordable homes for Nigerians. In preparation for the massive housing construction we are preparing for this year, we have done ground breaking for our estates in Uyo Akwa Ibom, and Kaduna states.”

He added: “As I said earlier, we have completed and commissioned many projects we inherited from our predecessor. Some of these projects are 100 housing units in Ajoda, Ibadan, Oyo state, Express View Estate, Lugbe, Abuja, 1.3-kilometer road in Guzape, Abuja, the corporate head office of FHA Mortgage bank, Gwarinpa Abuja. We are currently working round the clock to complete and commission 350 housing units of FHA estate in Bwari, Abuja within this first quarter of 2026.

“Our mission as management goes beyond giving our people affordable and livable estates and such modern facilities as this, we are committed to building a new Federal Housing Authority, where our allottees will be secured and our services faster and seamless. To achieve this, we initiated the digitalisation of the Authority’s property files, which are now secured in the Galaxy Backbone. We are working for the full automation of all other aspects of the Authority’s operations. Our test laboratory has become operational, where we carry out geological and integrity tests.

“We have commenced our presence in all our estates in a bid to respond swiftly to emerging challenges. Our zonal offices are now interconnected to the head – office for real time communication experience. We have opened our Kabusa site and our partners are expected to move into site very soon. The project is expected to be a boost to the economy through all the associated value chains in the provision of direct and indirect employments.

“Let me make it known that we have been able to achieve this much due to the cordial relationship we have with our parent and supervising ministry. We have a Minister in the person of Arc, Ahmed Dangiwa, who has been very supportive to us as management. His direction, advice and overall leadership have impacted positively on us.”

Furthermore, he said: “Like I said, this is the tallest single mall, not in terms of the width, but in terms of the height. This is a place that is going to house over one to two thousand people a day. On the fifth floor, which is the penthouse, you’re going to have more than three to five hundred people almost daily.

“You can see it’s strategically located for the commercial activities of Abuja. The heart of Abuja is becoming something like close to New York or London. In another one or two months, the traffic of people, businesses that will emerge in this mall will be massive.

“That’s what we are trying to do, to expand the economy, to create jobs for people. So you can imagine how many people will be employed to work here. You can imagine how many people will be selling.

“This is a place that might probably take about close to 500 people. So you’ve taken another 500 people off the street, be it graduate, be it non-graduate. That’s what we are trying to say. Let us be creating, so that not just in terms of the selling, but creating job opportunity. That’s the key thing.

“This is a PPP project. I have to be honest with you, this project was abandoned when I came in. Like I always tell people, I’m never interested in the money expended on projects. As long as I don’t support corruption and we don’t get funded by the federal government, we are not in the budget. What I’m after is always delivery of projects.

“When the project started, people bought into it. It was a partnership project. We own the land. The partners came in to build, the people came to buy. When looking at the value, you’re talking about six to eight billion naira. Remember,.this project was started and abandoned before we came in. So what matters most, like I keep telling people, is to make sure it’s been delivered. That’s what Renewed Hope is.

“People have lost hope and you can see everybody laughing. If you were here about one and a half years ago, with the customers, people that bought in, who felt their money have gone down the drain since 2018, they nearly boxed me. But I’m happy everybody’s now laughing. So that is the key thing.

“It has different sizes and different shapes. Some are about 120 square meters depending on the sizes. But the most impressive thing is you are going to get everything here. Jewelry, pharmaceutical, lounge, fabric sales, furniture sales, etc. You’re talking about 59 shops with a penthouse that can accommodate five to 600 people at a time. 24-hour service. Security top-notch, guaranteed.

“The police are on standby to make sure people are being protected. You can imagine the kind of day and night life that will be going on here. Some will be working during the day. Some people will take over shift at night. You could see the fire service. But with FHA, we don’t just go for this. We make sure also that safety so paramount. The fire service have come in here to do their drills. They gave us certification before.

“That’s some of the most important things, not just building structure. It’s also making sure after the building, there’s safety. That is the key. You can see our disabled ramp as well. So we’re also looking towards the physically challenged people, not just the able-challenged people. So that everybody will be comfortable. You can see our escalator. You can see two lifts coming in. So we are here to serve Nigerians.”

Also speaking, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, urged the FHA to replicate the achievement in other parts of the country, for the comfort of all Nigerians, saying the present administration is interested in tackling the issue of housing deficit.

He said the commissioning of the mall is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying the present administration is working on providing the enabling environment that would make Nigeria to succeed as a nation.

He said: “I am more pleased that what we are celebrating today was achieved by sheer determination and the will to succeed by the management of Federal Housing Authority. I congratulate the management and staff of the Authority for what they have been able to achieve under these two years in office. It is very pleasing to note that FHA has turned into a performing agency and poised to face her core mandate of providing livable houses to Nigerians.

“The resolve we are witnessing today is exactly what we need as a people and a country to overcome our challenges. We need to believe in ourselves and face what ever difficulties that face us frontally. As a government, we are working to provide all the enabling environment that would make us to succeed as a nation. We started by taking some decisions that were initially considered tough, but today, we are beginning to see the positive effects.

“The Renewed Hope Agenda of the government is impacting positively on all aspects of our lives. Our economy is steadily growing with tremendous decrease in the cost of food. On the security front, great efforts are being made to contain the threats. Housing remains a top priority of this government.

“To buttress this, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, created the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development purposely to tackle the issue of housing Nigerians adequately. The government has also provided enough windows for Nigerians to benefit from its housing initiative.

“We are pleased with what the management of Federal Housing Authority has started doing in addressing the issue of housing provision in the country, especially by travelling through the length and breadth of the country in search for land to build for our people. Government we will keep supporting FHA to achieve more.

“We encourage FHA to replicate this sort of amenity to all the parts of the country where they operate, for the comfort of all Nigerians. I also call on Nigerians to keep supporting this government to enable us achieve all we have in stock for Nigerians.”