Aug. 28, 2025
The Federal Government has secured 200 hectares of land within the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos, for a building materials hub to reduce housing production costs.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Ahmed Dangiwa, disclosed this during a tour of industrial areas within the Lekki and Lagos Free Zones.
The Lagos Free Zone is part of the larger Lekki Free Trade Zone ecosystem, a commercial hub integrated with the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
Dangiwa inspected various housing projects, industries, building materials testing laboratories, the deep sea port, Alaro City, Lagos Coastal City, and other ongoing developments.
He said establishing a building materials hub is part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at cutting construction costs and providing affordable housing.
According to him, the hub will promote local content, curb rising costs of materials, encourage domestic production, and ensure sustainable housing delivery nationwide.
He added that President Tinubu’s vision is to establish similar hubs across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The minister, conducted round the projects by Lekki Worldwide Investments Ltd’s Managing Director, Mr. Adeniyi Akinlusi, commended the firm for its remarkable achievements.
Dangiwa also thanked the company for providing a strategic site for the proposed Federal Government Building Materials Manufacturing Hub within the Lekki Free Trade Zone.
During inspection of Alaro City, he praised the management’s sustainable building efforts, saying they align with the government’s plan to close Nigeria’s shelter gap through PPPs.
He said the building materials hub is a key agenda of the current administration’s Housing and Urban Development Renewed Hope programme.
According to him, one hub will be built in each zone of the country, with the Lagos hub already sited within the Lekki Free Trade Zone.
The minister said intermodal transport infrastructure, including a seaport, airport, rail and roads, will support the effectiveness of the hubs.
He disclosed that an investor has been secured for the project, which will cut Nigeria’s housing deficit by boosting local building materials production.
Dangiwa stressed that this would reduce foreign exchange spent on imports, while creating jobs through local manufacturing of essential construction inputs.
Interacting with businesses, he noted their operations were driving economic growth, with houses and residential areas springing up within the zone.
He explained that infrastructure such as ports and airports inevitably attracts real estate, as housing is required to support these developments.
“We are pleased some houses here have already been acquired by off-takers,” he added.
Earlier, Akinlusi provided updates on projects, noting that the free zone was designed to stimulate growth, reduce imports, attract investment, create jobs and boost housing.
“The whole zone is Nigeria’s best-kept investment secret,” he said.
Industry heads within the zone also showcased power plants, manufacturing sites and new projects, explaining their operations to the minister during the tour. (NAN)
