The Federal Government has moved to aggressively tackle Nigeria’s housing deficit by announcing the establishment of local building materials manufacturing hubs across the six geopolitical zones.
Speaking on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at the 14th National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development in Ilorin, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, revealed that these hubs are designed to deepen industrial capacity, shorten project delivery timelines, and create thousands of jobs for skilled artisans.
The initiative targets the high cost of essential materials like cement and steel, which currently account for over 50 percent of total building expenses.
The first of these strategic hubs has already secured 200 hectares within the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos. This facility will serve as a pilot for five other regional centers located in Ogun (South West), Delta (South South), Abia (South East), Kano (North West), Gombe (North East), and Kwara (North Central).
By clustering manufacturers in these zones, the government intends to provide shared infrastructure, tax holidays, and duty waivers on machinery. Minister of State Yusuf Abdullahi Ata recently confirmed that private investors have already been secured for these projects, which aim to foster a “made-in-Nigeria” building culture and stabilize supply chains.
Beyond manufacturing, the council meeting highlighted a shift toward “Secure Land Documentation” as a pillar of the Renewed Hope housing agenda. Dr. Belgore emphasized that land only becomes a liquid asset when it is properly titled, registered, and digitized.
To support this, the ministry is rolling out a new national land governance framework to help Nigerians unlock wealth and access mortgage financing more easily. This policy shift is paired with an aggressive urban renewal strategy aimed at modernizing aging urban centers and optimizing land use in rapidly growing megacities.
The Kwara State Government is already aligning with this vision through its 20,000-unit Kwara Smart City project. State Commissioner for Housing Dr. Segun Ogunshola noted that the master plan has been reviewed to enhance livability and integrate “next-generation” urban features.
Currently, 30 kilometers of the 120-kilometer road network for the first three districts have been cleared for construction. As the national council meeting concludes this Friday, stakeholders are expected to sign a harmonized memorandum that will fast-track these manufacturing hubs and bridge the shelter gap for millions of Nigerians.
