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Fashola partners finance ministry, others to reduce housing deficit

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The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, says his ministry is working with ministries of finance, budget and national planning to lower interest and lending rates to reduce housing deficit in the country.

Fashola made the assertion at the third edition of Lafarge Africa Plc Quarterly webinar – Concrete Ideas.

It is a platform for deliberation on issues, policies and developments shaping Nigeria’s construction, infrastructure and housing sectors.

The theme of the webinar was: “New Solutions for Nigerian’s Urban Housing.”

The minister, who spoke as the Special Guest of Honour, said the government would ensure long term financing to reduce the housing deficit in the country.

He said housing was a commodity, which the private sector could leverage to increase their entrepreneurial skills to deliver.

“I’m happy to observe that in the last four years at least, the footprints of private sector in the real estate is increasing.

“What government can do to strengthen that space is to use its fiscal and monetary policies muscles to make it even more prolific to play by bringing down the rates – interest and lending rates.

“Government should ensure long tenure financing and these are conversations I’m having with my colleagues, the Minister of Finance, budget and national planning,” he said.

Fashola added that houses of assemblies of states and attorney generals must rise up and intervene on behalf of their residents by way of rent control.

He noted that housing must be discussed along the terms of ownership and rental.

“Where you have people asking citizens to pay three years’ rent in advance for salaries earned monthly in arrears, there is a mismatch there; housing will never be affordable and the bulk of property do not belong to the government but private citizens,” Fashola said.

He urged the attorney generals to get creative through legislation to solve the problem.

According to him, Nigeria needs to redesign its building method for those with economic power to demand and consume.

The minister debunked claims that Nigeria had a housing deficit of between 17 million and 22 million, saying the claim was unrealistic as there were empty houses all over the major urban centres.

He said the Federal Government was perfecting plans to ensure the next census would include home ownership to ascertain the country’s housing deficit figure.

He noted that housing deficit was an urban problem, and that land was a very important component in addressing housing problems in the country, yet he said the Federal Government did not control land but states.

Also speaking, Lafarge Africa Chief Executive Officer, Mr Khaled El Dokani, said the Concrete Ideals platform was for strategic discussions of critical and tropical issues in the area of construction and other sections of its value chain.

Dokani said the commitment of the Federal Government and its agencies to encourage private sector involvement in critical policy formation could not be overemphasised.

“Today’s event signals a call for all key stakeholders within the sector to work together and find lasting solutions to Nigeria’s urban housing issues,” he said.

He said the company would remain committed in providing building solutions through innovative products for economic growth and development.

Miss Amaka Nwaokolo, founder, Blue Tower House, said access to finance was vital in solving housing problem.

Nwaokolo urged the government to provide affordable finance to real estate players to solve housing issues in the country to ease the burden that would be passed to end users.

 

 

(NAN)

 

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K1, ValueJet Officials Breached Safety Protocol At Abuja Airport – Keyamo

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Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja
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The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has accused veteran Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as K1 de Ultimate, and officials of ValueJet of violating standard safety protocols at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Keyamo said his review of incident reports and video footage from relevant aviation agencies confirmed that the musician and the aircraft crew acted inappropriately during the altercation at the domestic terminal.

“From all the details so far received, my preliminary impression is that it was obviously a case of temporary loss of sanity and control on both sides, which could have led to serious fatalities,” the minister said.

He explained that K1 physically blocked a taxiing aircraft on the tarmac — a move he described as “reprehensible” and likened to a hostage situation.

“Contrary to what the agents of K1 have said, he constantly moved his position on the tarmac to actually block the aircraft from taxiing to take position on the runway for takeoff. This is totally unacceptable behaviour,” Keyamo said.

“Whether he was carrying water or alcohol is immaterial. It is the act of physically obstructing the aircraft that is at issue.”

Keyamo also faulted the aircraft crew, stating that the captain and pilot should not have commenced taxiing while an unruly passenger was still in front of the aircraft.

“No amount of provocation should make the captain of an aircraft begin to taxi without ensuring that security personnel have safely moved a passenger away from the path. Both sides breached standard safety protocol as required by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO),” he declares.

As a result, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the licences of the captain and pilot involved in the incident.

In a firm stance, the minister also ordered that K1 be placed on a no-fly list, pending the outcome of a full investigation.

“What applies to the goose must also apply to the gander. That is one of the tenets of justice I have preached all my life. I will not sit idly by and allow this to pass,” Keyamo declared.

He directed the NCAA to notify all domestic and international airlines of the no-fly order, warning that any airline that disregards the directive risks losing its operating license.

 

 

 

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FCTA Unleashes Crackdown On Traffic Offenders, Street Beggars In Abuja

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In a bold and sweeping move to restore sanity in Nigeria’s capital, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has declared war on traffic offenders and the swelling population of destitute individuals littering Abuja’s streets.

FCT Minister, Dr. Nyesom Wike, is not mincing words as he orders a full-blown enforcement blitz, warning that lawlessness on the roads and the growing menace of street begging pose a serious threat to public safety and the city’s reputation.

After a high-stakes security meeting held in Life Camp, the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao Saka Adewale, revealed that the days of recklessness and disorder are over.

“We will no longer tolerate it,” Adewale said, throwing down the gauntlet.

Within one month, security agencies impounded a staggering 675 vehicles for offences ranging from lack of documentation to illegal tinted windows and unauthorised transport operations, including unregistered ride-hailing cars.

But that’s not all—273 destitute persons have also been rounded up and relocated to a temporary shelter in Bwari for profiling. Authorities say they will be returned to their states of origin after due process.

The message is clear: Abuja is not a dumping ground, and the FCTA is tightening the noose on all forms of urban nuisance.

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Olubadan-In-Council Appoints Ladoja As New Olubadan

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Rashidi Ladoja
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The Olubadan-In-Council has nominated former Oyo State Governor Rashidi Ladoja as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadan.

Ladoja was nominated at the Olubadan Palace in Oke-Aremo, Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State, on Monday, August 4, 2025.

“We, the members of the Olubadan-In-Council, have all signed and nominated Oba Rashidi Ladoja as the new Olubadan of Ibadanland,” stated the Balogun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, who presided over the meeting.

Ajibola added that the resolutions from the meeting will be forwarded to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who will schedule a date to present the staff of office to the new Olubadan.

He explained, “The late Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, will be buried this week, so a ceremony this week is not feasible. Governor Makinde may decide to set the presentation for three weeks, two weeks, or one week from now.”

Oba Olakulehin passed away at the age of 90 on July 7.

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