The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the development of Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones as part of measures to boost local production, reduce construction costs and expand access to affordable housing.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, CON, stated this on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, in Abuja, while declaring open the 56th Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Builders (NIOB), held under the theme: “Repositioning the Building Profession: Advocacy and Policy Influence on Housing Delivery for a Sustainable Built Environment.”
Senator Akume said the development of the hubs was designed to strengthen domestic supply chains, support local manufacturing and make building materials more accessible and affordable to Nigerians. He urged professional builders to contribute their technical expertise, research capacity and industry networks to the conceptualisation and implementation of policies and programmes aimed at transforming the housing sector.
“Government is pursuing the development of Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs across the geopolitical zones precisely to support local production and reduce construction costs and your role is to bring the technical knowledge, research capacity and industry networks to the table by contribution to policies, and programs from
conceptualisation to delivery”, he said.
According to the SGF, the Federal Government’s initiative aligns with the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its commitment to expanding access to affordable, safe, durable and sustainable housing.
He noted that housing goes beyond physical structures, stressing that it encompasses safety, dignity, family stability, wealth creation and improved quality of life. He therefore charged the Nigerian Institute of Builders to uphold professionalism and ensure that competence, ethics and public trust remain the foundation of the building profession.
The SGF warned against poor supervision, substandard materials, construction shortcuts, corruption and the engagement of unqualified personnel, noting that such practices could undermine the quality of buildings and put lives and investments at risk. He urged the NIOB to intensify public awareness on the dangers of quackery and insist that certified builders should not lend their names or professional seals to projects they did not supervise.
Senator Akume, however, acknowledged the challenge of affordability in the housing sector, observing that rising construction costs were putting home ownership beyond the reach of many families. He called for stronger collaboration among professionals in the built environment and the adoption of measures such as better design-to-cost, increased use of local materials, bulk procurement, reduction of waste, modern construction methods, transparent bills of quantities and stronger domestic supply chains.
The SGF further called on Nigerian builders to take advantage of the massive infrastructure development being undertaken by the Federal Government, noting that more than 2,700 kilometres of highways and major roads are currently under construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation. He cited major projects including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road and the East-West Road as part of the administration’s infrastructure development drive.
He challenged builders not to remain spectators to the scale of ongoing national development, but to organise professional consortia, establish auditable quality-management systems, train and certify artisans, and compete for opportunities in housing, transportation infrastructure, public facilities and local-content projects.
The SGF also reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to making construction and housing development a national priority, irrespective of political considerations, stressing that the Renewed Hope Agenda is focused on delivering tangible benefits to all Nigerians.
He recalled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of building a Nigeria that is “secure, prosperous, inclusive, and respected worldwide,” and challenged professionals in the building sector to contribute meaningfully to achieving that vision. Senator Akume urged the NIOB to make the Renewed Hope Agenda tangible through a commitment to “one ethical professional, one safe site, one durable structure, and one affordable roof at a time.”
He congratulated the Nigerian Institute of Builders on the 56th Conference and Annual General Meeting and declared the conference open, expressing confidence that its deliberations would produce practical strategies for improving housing delivery, professional standards and the sustainability of Nigeria’s built environment.
Signed:
Chris Ugbuegbulam
Head, Information & Public Relations
19-08-2026.
