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Echoes from 10th Abuja Housing show
By Mustapha Suleiman
This year`s edition of Abuja Housing Show held between 18th -20th of July was attended by many dignitaries which included the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state, Minister of State for Environment , Jibrin Ibrahim, Hon. Mustapha Dawaki, Chairman House Committee on Housing, Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Hakan Çakil, TUC President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria(REDAN) president Rev. Ugo Chime and 23 commissioners of Housing from various States of the Federation.
The 2016 edition was declared open by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
Speaking at the event where stakeholders in the housing sector brainstormed on the theme: “Expanding Access to Affordable Housing in Africa,” Saraki assured that the Senate and the National Assembly as a whole is committed to making a difference in the housing sector.
The Senate President, reacting to observations that the existing housing laws need respective amendment and repeal, charged the organizers of the Summit to take a further step by forwarding a document of laws requiring amendments to the National Assembly for prompt attention.
Saraki said that the Senate has commenced the review processes of several laws affecting property rights and access housing in the country while the review of the National Housing Fund Act is on-going and would be completed before the end of the year.
National Organising Secretary (APC) and Chairman of FESADAB media group, Senator Osita Izunaso , said that the housing deficit in Nigeria is pegged at 17million housing units and that, as at today, only 10 per cent of those who dream to own a house in the country can afford it compared to 92 per cent house owners in Singapore.
He said that the central objective of the summit is to come up with feasible strategies on how to end the problem of homelessness in Nigeria.
In his address, Minister of Power, Works and Housing Mr Raji Fashola charged stakeholders to educate Nigerians on affordable housing as well as define what it entails for individuals to acquire a home with the income available.
The exhibition of affordable homes, innovative building materials, construction machinery, mortgage services and home interiors, among others were on display by both local and foreign exhibitors at the show.
The Home Expo featured Exhibitors from 10 Countries and major stakeholders from different area of the Nigeria Housing Industries.
Some of the exhibitors and participants described the show as an avenue to embrace the latest technologies in the housing and construction industry with innovative ways of expanding access to housing in the sector.
One of the exhibitors, Mr Gurudas Kamat of LOTTO SOUDAL, an EMEL Authorised Distributor in Nigeria, noted that the show had exposed the participants to new housing products in the industry.
Mr. Olatunji Aiyedogbon, Area Sales Coordinator, Sandtex Portland Paints and Products Nigeria Plc., urged government and stakeholders in the industry to go beyond theories and embrace proactive action to boost the housing sector.
Also, Shakti Mohanty of Royal, a company which manufactures assorted locally made tiles called for favourable policies and mortgage interest rate reduction to create an enabling environment for the players in the housing sector to grow.
The organizers said that this year Abuja Housing Show was attended by 182 Exhibitors.
Rendeavour appoints Skidmore, Owings & Merrill for new mixed-use development in Abuja
Rendeavour, Africa’s largest urban land developer, has appointed Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) for master planning services in connection with Jigna, Rendeavour’s joint venture urban development project in Abuja.
With a track record including landmark projects such as One World Trade Centre in New York and the Hajj Terminal in Saudi Arabia, SOM will ensure that the firm’s experience from these projects and others, such as the master plans for Phu My Hung Community in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia and the Baietan Urban Design Master Plan in Guangzhou, China, will be brought to bear on Jigna.
“Jigna is a compelling project to address Abuja’s continued urban growth with world-class aspirations,” said Daniel Ringelstein, Director of Urban Design and Planning at SOM.
“We are excited by Jigna’s vision to create a modern community promoting a tranquil lifestyle in an environmentally stunning location just a short commute from Abuja’s bustling city centre.”
Jigna, which sits on 707 hectares (1,750 acres) of land bordering the Outer Northern Expressway of Abuja, has already received its Environmental Impact Assessment approval from the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, as well as its temporary electricity infrastructure approval from the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company.
The project will be centered on the protection and enhancement of the site’s unique natural landscape environment, as well as providing a sustainable model for future urban communities in Africa.
“Our collaboration with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill is a landmark agreement for Jigna and Rendeavour,” said Rendeavour’s Nigeria Country Head, Yomi Ademola.
“Sensitive and comprehensive strategic planning is the bedrock of forward-thinking urban development and we are certain that SOM’s global experience will contribute to us creating the most attractive urban development in Nigeria’s capital,” he added.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is one of the leading architecture, interior design, engineering, and urban planning firms in the world, with an 80-year reputation for design excellence and a portfolio that includes some of the most important architectural accomplishments of the 20th and 21st centuries. Since its inception, SOM has been a leader in the research and development of specialized technologies, new processes and innovative ideas, many of which have had a palpable and lasting impact on the design profession and the physical environment.
The firm’s longstanding leadership in design and building technology has been honoured with more than 1,700 awards for quality, innovation, and management.
The American Institute of Architects has recognized SOM twice with its highest honor, the Architecture Firm Award-in 1962 and again in 1996. The firm maintains offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai, and Abu Dhabi.
Rendeavour is Africa’s largest urban land developer with over 12,000 hectares (30,000 acres) of visionary projects in the growth trajectories of large cities in Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo.
Rendeavour said its vision goes beyond alleviating what is a self-evident problem – that of stifling urban congestion and a dearth of quality housing and commercial property in Africa. “Rather, we aim to help create the infrastructure – the living and working spaces, communities, schools and hospitals – that will help sustain and accelerate Africa’s economic growth, meet the aspirations of Africa’s burgeoning middle classes, and serve as a catalyst for further urban development.”