Mr Samson Odegbami, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Richfield Court, a real estate firm, has pledged to provide 1,000 housing units for low-income earners across the country.
The young entrepreneur made the pledge while addressing newsmen on the sidelines of a groundbreaking ceremony to kick-start the project in Abuja on Monday.
As of 2015, the estimated housing deficit in Nigeria was approximately 22 million and N59.5 trillion was projected to fill up the gap in this sector.
Odegbami said that no fewer than 1,000 families across the country would be provided with decent accommodation by 2022.
He said that the firm was already operational in Ogun and Lagos states respectively, adding that verifiable land had been acquired in Lugbe, Giri and Gwagwalada areas of Abuja for the project.
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“For us, we have set a goal for ourselves, between now and the next two years, we are developing 1,000 housing units across the country; that is our short term for two years.
“After we have achieved that, we will see where God will take us to and where we can go from there.
“We do not want to overstretch but we have a target of 1,000 housing unit between 2020 and 2022,’’ he said.
Odegbami said that the housing deficit in Nigeria was very massive, noting that the government could not address the challenge alone.
The managing director said that entrepreneurs and stakeholders must come on board to address the housing deficit in the country and guarantee a better life for all Nigerians.
He, however, urged government at all levels to provide enabling environment and infrastructure like access roads, drainages and electricity to spur entrepreneurs to bridge the gap.
“There is a massive housing deficit in Nigeria and the government cannot fix everything in Nigeria, it is entrepreneurs like us that will do it.
“What we just want from government is the enabling environment and infrastructure like good road network and drainages.
“I think the government is trying but more can still be done, especially in fast-developing areas like this, so, that we do not just drive on very nice roads on the superhighway and by the time we are on the road to our houses, the road is not good.
“So, the quality that they have put outside (expressway) should be extended into internal roads in residential areas,” he said.
“Once they do that, what will happen is that property value will go up, there will also be a better quality of life; if you look at the global index, the life expectancy in Nigeria is 45 why in places like Australia it’s 85.
“That means that if you have somebody in Australia and another one in Nigeria, the chances that the person in Nigeria to die is about three times faster because of bad roads.
Odegbami noted that though many entrepreneurs could afford a comfortable life abroad, it was important to stay and develop Nigeria.
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