...Stakeholders chart pathways for sustainable housing delivery at FMBN Day 2026

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‎Key stakeholders across Nigeria's housing value chain on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, converged at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja for the third edition of FMBN Day at the 20th Africa International Housing Show (AIHS) 2026, where discussions on practical strategies for expanding access to affordable housing, particularly for low-income and informal sector workers, took centre stage.

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‎Welcoming participants, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Shehu Usman Osidi, said partnerships had become the most sustainable pathway to delivering affordable housing at scale, stressing that no single institution could address Nigeria's housing deficit alone.

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‎"Partnerships deliver results. Partnerships create opportunities that no single institution can achieve alone," Osidi said, noting that FMBN's recent achievements were driven by strong collaboration with government, organised labour, developers, regulators, development finance institutions and other stakeholders.

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‎He noted that Nigeria's housing challenge falls disproportionately on low-income earners and workers in the informal sector, many of whom remain excluded from conventional mortgage finance because of irregular income patterns and limited access to formal financial documentation. 

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‎The Chief Executive emphasized that addressing the challenge requires deliberate collaboration among government, housing finance institutions, developers, organised labour, cooperative societies, development finance institutions and the private sector.

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‎"No institution, not even one with the mandate and experience of FMBN, can solve Nigeria's housing challenge alone," he said.

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‎Osidi added that the theme of this year's event, "Leveraging Partnerships for Sustainable Affordable Housing for Low-Income and Informal Workers," reflected FMBN's commitment to building inclusive housing finance solutions for Nigerians across all income groups.

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‎The Special Guest of Honour and Chairman, Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, commended FMBN for its efforts in expanding affordable housing delivery and pledged the committee's continued legislative support for the Bank's initiatives. 

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Senator Tambuwal made a strong case for strengthening FMBN, stressing the need to fortify the Bank through recapitalization and an expanded operational scope rather than creating institutions with overlapping mandates.

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‎He explained that empowering FMBN to fully deliver on its statutory mandate would enhance its capacity to drive affordable housing delivery and deepen access to mortgage finance for Nigerians.

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He also disclosed that efforts were underway to pass the FCT Mortgage Bill to strengthen mortgage administration and improve housing delivery in the Federal Capital Territory.

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‎The event was attended by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Esther Walson-Jack, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Dr. Abdul Garba, FMBN's Executive Directors, Dr. Muhammad Sani Abdu (Loans and Mortgage Services), Mr. Ibidapo Odojukan (Finance and Corporate Services), and Mrs. Chinenye Chinedu Anosike (Business Development and Portfolio Management), as well as Senior Management Staff of the Bank, representatives of organised labour, housing professionals and other industry stakeholders.

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‎A panel discussion moderated by Nancy Illoh-Nnaji, an accomplished broadcaster and respected public affairs professional, featured the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of COPEN Group, Dr. Ugochukwu Obiora Chime; Managing Director of Modern Shelter Systems & Services Ltd., Mr. Abdulmalik Mahdi; Real Estate, Housing Finance and Development Expert, Mrs. Olajumoke Akinwunmi; Principal Partner, 3P Design Concepts Ltd., Architect Aondover Lawrence Utsaha; and Strategy Implementation Group Lead, Financial Systems Strategy Department, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Chinedu Onyewuenyi. 

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‎The panel dissected the affordability challenge in Nigeria's housing sector and identified stronger partnerships, innovative financing models and supportive policy reforms as critical to accelerating affordable housing delivery, particularly for low-income and informal sector workers.

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‎Other highlights of the event included a visit to the FMBN Exhibition Booth led by the Managing Director/Chief Executive, Shehu Usman Osidi, and the cutting of the AIHS @ 20 anniversary cake by dignitaries in attendance, marking two decades of the Africa International Housing Show and celebrating its contributions to advancing housing development across the continent.

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Joe Abuku

‎Group Head, Corporate Communications