Lafarge enters parnership for low-income housing
Construction firm, Lafarge Africa Plc has entered partnership with two global organizations, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Agence Francaise de Development (AFC) in effort to meet housing need of low-income earners across Nigeria. Tagged Housing Microfinance Academy, Lafarge Africa Plc Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Loren Zanin said the initiative is designed to make accessible loans […]
Construction firm, Lafarge Africa Plc has entered partnership with two global organizations, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Agence Francaise de Development (AFC) in effort to meet housing need of low-income earners across Nigeria.
Tagged Housing Microfinance Academy, Lafarge Africa Plc Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Loren Zanin said the initiative is designed to make accessible loans that could be used to finance construction of low cost houses.
Zanin, while speaking at a training workshop on Housing Microfinance Academy in Lagos said, “Leveraging on the knowledge gathered through our housing microfinance initiatives globally, the LafargeHolcim Group, within the perimeter of Lafarge, launched its Housing Microfinance Academy in 2014, in partnership with IFC and AFD, which we would like to acknowledge them and thank them for their support.
“This training aims at promoting housing microfinance and developing the capabilities of banks in that field,” he said.
Zanin expressed optimism that the intiative will go a long way in affecting the lives of many Nigerians who are “at the bottom of the pyramid”.
He recalled that over 100 Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) have keyed into similar project in Kenya, India and Brazil, where he noted people of low to middle income segment now have access to housing credits.
Also speaking, IFC Country Manager for Nigeria, Eme Essien Lore said, “Statistics in Nigeria today have established that there is a housing deficit of about 16 million or 17 million units.
“And to meet up, housing sector has to produce over 700,000 units of housing every year.
“So we, at IFC have a strategy around housing financing built on four pillars designed to address those challenges, those things that need to happen to improve housing,” Lore said.