As the nation is still grappling and striving to extri-cate itself from the oil subsidy imbroglio, a call has gone to the Federal Government to ensure the effectiveness of another type of subsidy, but this time, in the housing sector.

Speaking recently with Property and Environment, the Managing Director of Coop Savings and Loans, Mr Kabir Tukur, posited that there was need for subsidy to be introduced in the housing sector to enhance the possibility of people owning hous-ing units.

“Only the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and primary mortgage industries (PMIs) provide mortgage. The government should therefore provide subsidy in terms of grants and loans. More mortgages should be provided for civil servants as this would make the provi-sion of housing more affordable,” said Mr Tukur.

He further added that in order for an effective housing sector which can compare with its counterparts in other parts of the world, to be put in place in the country, it would be necessary for the government to stabilise the economy, control liquidity, reduce the price of cement and create a system whereby people would not be des-perate to own houses at all cost.   

This call by the Coop and Savings boss further accentuates calls by other experts in the built environment that the government, rather than being actively involved in building houses, should focus more on creating an enabling environ-ment for all Nigerians to become house owners.

Such an enabling environment, according to experts, includes making land available, reducing the bureau-cracy involved in obtain-ing land titles and certi-ficates of occupancy, reducing the cost of building materials, among others.