The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc Ahmed Dangiwa, has thrown his weight behind the proposed ‘NUJ FCT Journalists’ Village’ in Abuja, pledging government support through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).
Dangiwa gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council, led by its Chairman, Ms Grace Ike. He praised the crucial role of journalists in nation-building and affirmed that media professionals would not be excluded from the federal government’s housing initiatives.
“You help interpret government policies and hold us accountable,” Dangiwa said, promising that once NUJ secures a titled plot of land and housing designs, the ministry, through FMBN, will provide support for affordable housing, repayable over a 30-year period.
The initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Housing Programme, which includes the construction of Renewed Hope Cities and Estates across the country, social housing in all 774 local government areas, and slum upgrade projects. According to the Minister, over 10,000 housing units are already underway in 14 states and the FCT, with more than 150 urban renewal projects completed.
He also highlighted a new digital platform — www.renewedhopehomes.fmhud.gov.ng — created to simplify the housing application and mortgage process.
Ms Grace Ike thanked the Minister and commended President Tinubu’s administration for its commitment to housing development. She urged the ministry to support the NUJ’s infrastructure drive, including the completion of the NUJ Pentagon building, a multipurpose hall, and expanded access to housing finance for journalists.
“Housing is not just shelter — it’s dignity and a foundation for national progress,” Ike said, emphasizing the importance of media inclusion in housing policies.
The meeting concluded with a pledge of continued cooperation between the NUJ and the Housing Ministry, aiming to ensure decent housing for journalists and other Nigerian citizens.
