The Federal Government has commenced work on a 250-home residential estate for federal civil servants in Gwagwalada, Abuja, with each unit designed as a two-bedroom bungalow.
The project is being developed under the Renewed Hope Civil Service Estate initiative and is part of the government’s larger plan to increase access to affordable housing across Nigeria.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Darma, said the project was specifically designed to support civil servants with decent and affordable accommodation.
According to him, providing suitable housing for government workers would also contribute to better performance and efficiency in the public service.
He said, “I must mention that we have projects in all the 36 states of the federation of Nigeria and in Abuja here this particular one is representing one of the many projects we have in Abuja. This civil service estate has a unique character. It is a wider housing intervention because it has a focus on the people who are providing these housing units. So if you have a focus you must identify the people by providing cheap and affordable housing to civil servants.
“What we are doing is we are bringing efficiency into the civil service. We are contributing in the ministry to your aim and your objective of making this civil service corruption-free. Therefore, I must talk to the consultants, the supervising teams from the ministry, the contractors, the stakeholders around and all others to make sure that what we are providing today stands the test of time.”
Darma urged everyone involved in the construction to maintain proper standards and ensure the houses remain durable for years to come.
He also said the ministry was committed to delivering the housing projects assigned to it by the Tinubu administration, adding that several developments were already scheduled for completion before May 2027.
He said, “From today to the end of this year and the end of this government in May 2027 everything that you will see will now be action, action and action. We are acting today because we are doing groundbreaking. Before the end of this month we will do another ceremony to deliver 132 rent-to-own houses to the beneficiaries before the end of this month. In the month of September it will be a rundown of activities delivering houses to Nigerians.
“We will deliver 252 in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, another 300 units will be delivered in Abuja here, in October we will deliver 2800 units of housing in Karsana Abuja. My brother here mentioned how we are transforming Karsana. We will invite you all to come and witness the delivery of those projects in Karsana 2000 housing units. Also in September another set of 1500 housing units will be delivered to Nigerians. In December we will deliver another 2129 housing units to Nigerians. Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, we are going to deliver on the mandates that Mr. President assigned us to do.”
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, welcomed the development, describing it as an important investment in the welfare of federal workers.
She said, “I have so much joy in my heart as I witness an important milestone in our commitment to the welfare of federal civil servants, as we lay the foundation for 250 units of two-bedroom bungalows at the Renewed Hope Civil Service Estate here in Gwagalada.
“A public partnership between the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. And so this is more than a housing project. This estate represents a promise of a better future for civil servants and their families.”
The estate forms part of the Renewed Hope Housing Programme, a Federal Government initiative targeting affordable accommodation for Nigerians across different income categories.
Under the programme, Renewed Hope Estates are planned as 250-unit housing developments aimed at middle-income earners, including civil servants, teachers, medical workers, traders and artisans.