Echoes from 10th Abuja Housing show

This year`s edition of Abuja Housing Show held between 18th -20th of July was attended by many dignitaries which included the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar  Bukola Saraki, Minister of Power, Works  and Housing, Mr. Babatunde  Raji Fashola, Governor Abdullahi  Umar Ganduje  of Kano State,  Minister of State for Environment , Jibrin Ibrahim,  Mustapha Dawaki, Chairman […]

This year`s edition of Abuja Housing Show held between 18th -20th of July was attended by many dignitaries which included the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar  Bukola Saraki, Minister of Power, Works  and Housing, Mr. Babatunde  Raji Fashola, Governor Abdullahi  Umar Ganduje  of Kano State,  Minister of State for Environment , Jibrin Ibrahim,  Mustapha Dawaki, Chairman House Committee on Housing,  Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Hakan Çakıl, TUC President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama,   the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria(REDAN) president Rev. Ugo Chime  and 23 commissioners of Housing from various states of the federation.
The 2016 edition was declared open by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
Speaking at the event where stakeholders in the housing sector brainstormed on the theme: “Expanding Access to Affordable Housing in Africa,” Saraki assured that the Senate and the National Assembly as a whole is committed to making a difference in the housing sector.
The Senate President, reacting to observations that the existing housing laws need respective amendment and repeal, charged the organizers of the summit to take a further step by forwarding a document of laws requiring amendments to the National Assembly for prompt attention.
Saraki said that the Senate has commenced the review processes of several laws affecting property rights and access housing in the country while the review of the National Housing Fund Act is on-going and would be completed before the end of the year.
 National Organising Secretary (APC) and Chairman of FESADAB media group, Senator Osita Izunaso ,  said that the  housing deficit in Nigeria is pegged at 17million housing units and  that, as at today, only 10 per cent of those who dream to own a house in the country can afford it compared to  92 per cent house owners in Singapore.
He said that the central objective of the summit is to come up with feasible strategies on how to end the problem of homelessness in Nigeria.
In his address, Minister of Power, Works  and  Housing  Mr Raji  Fashola charged  stakeholders  to educate  Nigerians  on affordable  housing as well as  define  what  it entails  for  individuals  to acquire  a home  with  the  income  available.
The exhibition of affordable homes, innovative building materials, construction machinery, mortgage services and home interiors, among others were on display by both local and foreign exhibitors at the show.
The Home Expo featured exhibitors from 10 countries and major stakeholders from different area of the Nigeria Housing Industry.
Some of the exhibitors and participants described the show as an avenue to embrace the latest technologies in the housing and construction industry with innovative ways of expanding access to housing in the sector.
One of the exhibitors,  Mr Gurudas Kamat of LOTTO SOUDAL, an EMEL Authorised Distributor in Nigeria, noted that the show had exposed the participants to new housing products in the industry.
Mr. Olatunji Aiyedogbon, Area Sales Coordinator, Sandtex Portland Paints and Products Nigeria Plc., urged  government and stakeholders in the industry to  go beyond theories  and embrace  proactive action to boost the housing sector.
Also, Shakti Mohanty of Royal, a company which manufactures assorted locally made tiles called for favourable policies and mortgage interest rate reduction to create an enabling environment for the players in the housing sector to grow.
The organizers said that this year Abuja Housing Show was attended by 182 exhibitors.