‎The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) on Friday, October 30, 2026, concluded its 2026 Management Strategy Retreat with far-reaching resolutions aimed at strengthening customer service, decentralising business operations, improving efficiency and expanding access to affordable housing finance.

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‎A major highlight of the resolutions is the Bank's decision to institutionalise annual Customer Town Hall meetings across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones to strengthen engagement with customers, obtain direct feedback from beneficiaries and contributors, and drive continuous improvements in service delivery.

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‎The three-day retreat, held from Wednesday, October 28, to Friday, October 30, 2026, at Kano State, was themed "Building Resilience Through Innovative Customer Service." It brought together 80 participants comprising the Managing Director/Chief Executive, Shehu Usman Osidi, the Bank's Executive Directors of Loans and Mortgage Services, Dr. Muhammad Sani Abdu; Finance and Corporate Services; Mr. Ibidapo Odojukan; and Business Development and Portfolio Management, Mrs. Chinenye Chinedu Anosike, as well as Group Heads, Zonal Managers and Branch Managers.

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‎It provided an opportunity for Management to review the implementation of the Bank's Five-Year Strategy Blueprint (2022–2026), assess emerging developments in the housing finance sector and deliberate on the strategic priorities for the proposed Three-Year Strategy Blueprint (2027–2029).

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‎In his opening address, Osidi emphasised the need to place customers at the centre of the Bank's operations. He challenged participants to rethink service delivery, eliminate operational bottlenecks, leverage technology and develop practical solutions to make the Bank more accessible, responsive and efficient.

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‎Participants reviewed the Bank's performance since the previous Management Strategy Retreat, highlighting progress in housing delivery, mortgage lending, NHF collections, loan disbursements and digital transformation. It also assessed the implementation of the 2025 retreat resolutions, with 49 of the 59 resolutions, representing 83.1 per cent, reported as fully implemented.

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‎Participants also examined findings from a customer experience documentary and a Mystery Shopping exercise, which assessed service quality, staff attitude and compliance with established service standards across the Bank's regions. The findings informed discussions on targeted interventions to address service gaps and strengthen customer satisfaction.

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‎The proposed Three-Year Strategy Blueprint (2027–2029) was also presented, with six strategic pillars designed to reposition FMBN as a catalyst for housing finance transformation.

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‎In furtherance of its customer service and operational reform agenda, the Bank resolved to decentralise business operations by empowering Field Offices with loan and refund processing, approval and disbursement powers, supported by appropriate accountability mechanisms. This is expected to improve operational efficiency, reduce delays and bring decision-making closer to customers.

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‎The Bank also committed to actualising the Ministerial directive on a 30-day timeline for mortgage origination and a maximum of eight documentation requirements for loan processing. To support these reforms, participants emphasised the need for greater adoption of information and communication technology across the Bank's operations.

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‎Other resolutions include a comprehensive review of the Bank's corporate culture to promote customer sensitivity, integrity, professionalism, accountability and teamwork; the development of a legal and operational framework to empower Branch Managers to issue allocation letters for housing units in FMBN-funded estates; and the establishment of mini offices in key business locations to improve customer accessibility and convenience.

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‎Participants further recommended that the Legal Group examine the possibility of extending Individual Construction Loans to NHF contributors with plots of land allocated within housing estates, subject to the necessary legal and regulatory considerations.

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‎The Bank also acknowledged the importance of recapitalisation to the Bank's institutional repositioning, while emphasising the need to focus on the broader reforms required to strengthen organisational capacity and performance.

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‎The proposed Three-Year Strategy Blueprint was adopted for the 2027–2029 period, subject to the necessary consideration and approval.

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‎Day Three of the retreat featured group deliberations and presentations by participants on key business challenges, including customer service delivery, decentralisation of business processes and the management of housing projects. 

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‎The 2026 Management Strategy Retreat marks another step in FMBN's institutional transformation drive, with a renewed focus on translating strategic priorities into practical reforms that improve customer experience, strengthen operational performance and expand access to affordable housing finance for Nigerians.

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