FG Reviews Chinese Firm’s 10,000-Home Proposal To Boost Nigeria’s Affordable Housing Drive

• The Federal Government has begun reviewing a proposal by China Hyway Group to deliver 10,000 homes across Nigeria within 30 months using prefabricated construction technology.

• The proposed development will be financed under an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing (EPC+F) model, allowing the Chinese firm to combine funding, design and construction while supporting the government’s affordable housing agenda through private-sector investment.

• Although the project is still undergoing government evaluation, it comes as Nigeria grapples with an estimated 17-million-unit housing deficit and increasingly relies on public-private partnerships to accelerate housing delivery without placing additional pressure on public finances.

July 15 , () — The Federal Government has commenced a review of a proposal by China Hyway Group Limited to develop 10,000 housing units across Nigeria within 30 months, as it seeks new financing and construction models to accelerate affordable housing delivery and reduce the country’s widening housing deficit.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the proposed project would deploy prefabricated construction technology across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones under an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing (EPC+F) model if approved.

The proposal remains under review and has not yet received final government approval.

Why the proposal matters
The proposed project comes as Nigeria seeks practical ways to address one of Africa’s largest housing deficits while reducing the financial burden on the government.

Unlike conventional housing developments, the EPC+F model integrates project design, financing, procurement and construction under a single framework, enabling private investors to mobilise capital and oversee delivery from start to finish. The use of prefabricated construction technology could also shorten delivery timelines, improve quality control, and lower construction costs, particularly for large-scale housing developments.

Following a presentation by China Hyway Group, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma directed the formation of a committee comprising relevant directors within the ministry to conduct a comprehensive review of the proposal before recommending the government’s next course of action.

Speaking during the meeting, the minister said the proposal aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Housing Programme, which prioritises expanding access to affordable, decent and sustainable housing through strategic public-private partnerships.

“Our mandate is to ensure that more Nigerians have access to affordable and decent housing. We are therefore ready and willing to provide land in Abuja, across the states and in local government areas, subject to due process and the fulfilment of all statutory requirements”, Darma said.

He added that the ministry remains committed to creating an enabling environment for credible investors by facilitating access to land and providing the institutional support required for successful project implementation.

Can private investment help bridge Nigeria’s housing gap?
China Hyway Group’s Chief Engineer, Lewis Chima, said the company was attracted by Nigeria’s estimated 17-million-unit housing deficit and broader economic potential.

According to him, the company intends to deploy advanced prefabricated construction technology under the EPC+F model, integrating project design, financing, construction, and delivery into a single framework. The approach, he said, would enable the delivery of 10,000 housing units within 30 months while reducing construction costs, shortening completion timelines and strengthening project risk management through international financing support.

Chima added that the company is seeking a long-term partnership with the Federal Government to help reduce Nigeria’s housing deficit while promoting job creation, technology transfer, and sustainable urban development.

Nigeria is estimated to require about 550,000 new housing units annually to close its housing gap, a target that demands trillions of naira in long-term investment. Recognising the scale of the challenge, the Federal Government has increasingly turned to public-private partnerships under the Renewed Hope Housing Programme to mobilise private capital alongside government-funded housing projects.

If approved, the China Hyway proposal would add another large-scale private-sector initiative to the government’s housing strategy, potentially expanding affordable housing delivery while easing pressure on public finances.