By Olushola Okunlade
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arch. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has expressed the Ministry’s willingness to support Diaspora initiatives in the Housing and Urban Development space as well as encourage partnerships with the Diaspora in the housing and urban development narrative through the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission for National Development.
The Minister stated this ahead of the proposed launch in February 2024 of the Diaspora Mortgage Housing Scheme in the UK, USA, and CANADA, when he received the Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and some Management Staff in his office in Abuja.
Arch. Ahmed Musa noted that at the recently concluded 6th Edition of the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit,(NDIS), he launched the FMBN Diaspora Mortgage Scheme which was initiated and developed, along with Nidcom, when he was MD of FMBN then.
According to the Minister, “The overall goal is to ensure that as our brothers and Sisters sojourn abroad, they also have a decent shelter over here in Nigeria to call their home”.
Arch. Dangiwa added that the Federal Housing Authority is also committed to delivering on their tripartite mandate of a Diaspora City Project in partnership with NIDCOM, FHA, and FCT. The project is situated at Maitama 2, with over 675 hectares of land.
Earlier, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, speaking on the 4Ds of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda of Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora, said the Minister will kick off the official details and unveiling of the Diaspora Mortgage scheme in the Diaspora itself starting in the UK, USA and Canada.
The NIDCOM Boss, commended the Minister for his commitment and participation and the launch of the Diaspora Mortgage Scheme during the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit, (NDIS). She also said Nigerians in Diaspora are enthusiastic about both the Diaspora mortgage scheme and the upcoming Diaspora smart city in Kabusa, Maitama 2.
There are about 20 million Nigerians in the Diaspora and remitting an average of over 24 billion dollars annually to shore up the Nigerian economy.
