The Kaduna State Development and Property Company (KSDPC) is set to hold the maiden edition of the Kaduna International Housing Exhibition tagged KADIHE 1.0. In this interview with Daily Trust, the managing director of the KSDPC, Abubakar Rabiu Abubakar, an architect, gave an insight into the benefits the exhibition would bring to the state and the country in general.
Daily Trust: What inspired the organisation to initiate the Kaduna International Housing Exhibition; what objectives do you hope to achieve with this event?
Abubakar Rabiu Abubakar: The KSDPC is responding to a gap in the housing exhibition space in Nigeria. There are the Abuja Housing Exhibition, Lagos Housing Exhibition and South-West Housing Exhibition that have become recognised, nationally and internationally.
Our aim is to fill the gap by hosting a housing exhibition in the core North. Our objectives include promoting and celebrating the players and stakeholders in the housing sector from the North, creating a platform to address areas in the Nigerian housing policy that need to be discussed so that they better support the sector, attracting the attention of real estate investors to the North so that they can see it as a viable investment option and create exposure for the local players to reach a new audience.
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DT: How does the exhibition align with the company’s vision and mission; what impact do you anticipate that it would have on the housing sector in Kaduna and beyond?
Abubakar: The mission and vision of the KSDPC are anchored on providing affordable housing for residents in a sustainable way. One of the panel sessions at the exhibition deals with sustainable practices in the industry. And we have exhibitors who are coming to showcase the latest trends and technologies that enable delivery of homes in a sustainable way.
As responsible practitioners in the industry, we are constantly seeking ways to build so that there is less impact on the environment, while also meeting the needs of the citizens in terms of housing, which aligns with the agenda of Governor Uba Sani in the upgrade of infrastructure and investing massively in human capital development.
We are hoping to bring the deserved attention to the housing sector in Kaduna. We want to increase the awareness and promote the actors along the entire value chain of the housing sector. We want to showcase the unique features and selling points of the real estate business in Kaduna and the North. As an international event, we are hoping to spread the word and showcase the investment opportunities to the wider world through this exhibition.
DT: What unique features and opportunities can participants and attendees expect from the exhibition?
Abubakar: The quality and quantity of panel sessions. We have gone to great lengths to create a diversified portfolio of panelists and speakers for the event. They were taken from the academia, policy makers, investors, heads of agencies and so forth. Attendees have the opportunity to ask pertinent questions to people shaping the industry so that they get a full understanding of why things are the way they are or what is being done to solve some problems.
DT: How do you see the exhibition contributing to the development of Kaduna’s economy and infrastructure?
Abubakar: As with any event of this size, the local economy is the first and immediate beneficiary. We are expecting several governors, international speakers and exhibitors outside the state on those two days. This inflow creates an immediate impact on the local economy, from hotels to food and transport.
Secondly, one objective of the exhibition is to create opportunities for the local players in the real estate sector to expand their horizons. We are hopeful that businesses operating in that space which exhibit are able to network and connect with other businesses. We also hope that real estate investors that visit see the level of activity in the real estate sector in Kaduna and find it attractive enough to take risks on the state. All of these activities generate revenue for businesses, increasing the gross domestic product of the state and tax revenue of the government.
DT: What strategies are in place to ensure the success and legacy of the exhibition beyond its inaugural edition?
Abubakar: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is actually the organiser of the event through its agency, the KSDPC. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) and other committees for the exhibition were drawn from all agencies under the ministry and a few others. So, there is ownership across a wide spectrum to ensure acceptance across the state.
We are also hoping that the first exhibition is able to prove through its impact on the local economy, the promotion of the state as a viable and credible real estate investment destination and the increase in revenue by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in that space that participate at the exhibition that this is an event that should be sustained.
DT: How will the event facilitate connections and collaborations among stakeholders, including developers, investors and potential homeowners?
Abubakar: There will be over 50 exhibitors that cut across various segments of the industry coming from different parts of the country. Attendees will have the opportunity to visit their booths and interact with the companies during designated times. We have also intentionally structured the programme to create time for networking, which we expect stakeholders to take advantage of.
DT: What measures have been taken to ensure the accessibility and inclusivity of the exhibition for diverse audiences?
Abubakar: It is actually of great importance to us that the audience is as diversified as the speakers and panelists. This can only help to generate the best ideas, especially during question and answer sessions.
We invited members of various committees of the State Assembly on related matters. We hosted a SMEs event for the businesses in the local real estate sector in Kaduna to intimate them of the event and its benefit. We partnered with REDAN and AHCN to ensure we reached our peers nationally. We reached out to the student bodies in the state to ensure the young ones are included. We engaged Nigerians in the diaspora who are interested in the real estate space.
DT: How will the exhibition showcase innovative and sustainable housing solutions; what impact do you hope it would have on the industry’s future?
Abubakar: The theme of innovative and sustainable housing development is extensively discussed during the panel sessions, where we hope the audience would be fully engaged and get an opportunity to ask questions. We have identified businesses dealing in innovative and sustainable solutions for the real estate sector that would be exhibiting at the event. This will provide an opportunity for the attendees to educate themselves and engage the business owners.
DT: What role do you envision the exhibition playing in addressing housing challenges and promoting affordable housing options in Kaduna and the region?
Abubakar: Nigeria is still seeking answers to its housing challenges and this exhibition is an opportunity to review the policies that are working and those that need to be tweaked.
Industry players will have an opportunity to engage policy makers and regulators in the sector at this event to identify short and long term solutions, as well as what is in the best interest of the industry. Invited international speakers will share global best practices that suit Nigeria and how the industry stakeholders can adapt and adopt solutions that have been successful in other climes.
DT: What are the plans for future editions, and how do you see the exhibition evolving and growing in the coming years?
Abubakar: The KSDPC partnered with a private company, KIHE to organise this event. The private company brings its expertise garnered over years of hosting similar events successfully in the South-West.
It is our hope that the partnership is sustained and the two companies are able to continue hosting future editions. As the exhibition grows in recognition and size, we hope it becomes the core and biggest platform for promoting the real estate investment opportunity for the entire northern Nigeria, attracting foreign direct investment to the region.
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