Amidst growing concerns over the housing challenges faced by Nigerian civil servants, the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB) has decried the limited funding hampering the delivery of affordable homes to government employees.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Head of Information and Public Relations Unit (PRU), Obiechina Ngozi, the Executive Secretary of the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB), Hajiya Salamatu Ladi Ahmed, expressed concern over funding challenges threatening the pace of affordable housing delivery in Nigeria during a recent inspection tour of FGSHLB housing projects in Abuja and Nasarawa, Ahmed acknowledged the progress being made but emphasized that it remains hindered by financial constraints. “Unless more funds are injected,” she warned, “efforts to scale affordable housing nationwide will remain slow and inadequate.”
“We are only able to execute these projects in phases due to limited funding,” Ahmed said during a visit to the Dukpa, Gwagwalada site where 20 units of two-bedroom apartments are nearing completion. “To meet the growing demand and expand to other states, we urgently need more financial support.”
While praising the quality and pace of the Dukpa development, which she expects to be commissioned by June, Ahmed stressed that the affordability of the homes is tailored to suit the income of federal workers.
“Our scheme offers loans at just 3% interest, with convenient salary deductions,” she explained. “A 10-15% interest loan is not feasible for a level 8 civil servant earning just over ₦100,000 monthly.”
Ahmed also highlighted the financial strain many public servants endure due to high rent in Abuja, forcing them to live far from their places of work and spend heavily on daily transportation. “Many civil servants live outside the city because of rent costs. This affects their finances and productivity,” she noted.
The Board, which currently depends on federal budget allocations, has been unable to attract private sector funding due to high lending rates that are out of reach for its target beneficiaries.
In a bid to reduce construction costs and expand access, the Executive Secretary called on state governments to emulate the Federal Capital Territory’s gesture of providing free land for public housing. “Land availability significantly cuts costs. With more support like what we received in Gwagwalada, we can deliver homes to more workers,” she said.
Ahmed inspected several other projects during her tour, including the Kuje prototype estate featuring 48 two-bedroom flats, six three-bedroom flats, and six duplexes. The Karachi project in Nasarawa comprises 45 units of various flat types and semi-detached bungalows.
Reiterating the administration’s commitment, she concluded, “Every federal government worker deserves a decent home. With better funding, we can make this a reality for more civil servants across the country.”
The FGSHLB continues to urge the government to prioritize increased budgetary allocations for housing, saying the move is essential for improving the welfare of civil servants and, by extension, enhancing national service delivery.
