The Federal Government has secured 200 hectares of land within the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos, to establish a building materials hub aimed at reducing housing production costs nationwide.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Ahmed Dangiwa, disclosed this on Thursday during a tour of industrial areas within the Lekki and Lagos Free Zones, which form part of the larger Lekki Free Trade Zone ecosystem integrated with the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
Dangiwa inspected various projects, including housing developments, industries, building materials testing laboratories, Alaro City, Lagos Coastal City, and the deep-sea port.
He explained that the proposed hub aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to lower construction costs, promote local content, encourage domestic production, and enhance affordable housing delivery across the country.
“The building materials hub will promote local content, curb rising costs of materials, encourage domestic production, and ensure sustainable housing delivery nationwide,” Dangiwa said.
He added that the government plans to replicate similar hubs across the six geopolitical zones, with the Lagos hub being the first to be sited.
The minister, accompanied by Lekki Worldwide Investments Ltd’s Managing Director, Mr. Adeniyi Akinlusi, commended the company for providing a strategic site for the hub and for its contributions to the zone’s growth.
During his inspection of Alaro City, Dangiwa praised the management’s sustainable building practices, noting that they align with government plans to close Nigeria’s housing deficit through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
He revealed that an investor has been secured for the project, which is expected to cut Nigeria’s housing deficit by boosting local building materials production, creating jobs, and reducing foreign exchange spent on imports.
Dangiwa further noted that intermodal transport infrastructure—including seaport, airport, rail, and road networks—would enhance the efficiency of the hubs.
“We are pleased that some houses here have already been acquired by off-takers,” he added.
Earlier, Akinlusi highlighted that the 16,500-hectare Lekki Free Trade Zone was designed to stimulate growth, attract investment, create jobs, reduce imports, and boost real estate development.
“The whole zone is Nigeria’s best-kept investment secret,” he said.
Industry leaders within the zone also showcased power plants, manufacturing sites, and ongoing projects during the minister’s tour.
