Nigeria Police to tackle housing shortage for its members with N100bn

The Nigerian Police Force is set to tackle the housing shortage bedevelling its members across the country with a N100 billion fund.

This was disclosed by the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, who on Monday announced the establishment of a N100 billion Police Housing Fund by the Federal Government.

Egbetoken was speaking during the launch of the inaugural Nigerian Police Housing Summit at Abuja Continental Hotel, where he stated that housing shortage has been a major problem within the force.

The police chief noted that upon his appointment as the Inspector General, he identified the welfare of police personnel as a cornerstone of his administration.

He said, “A key aspect of enhancing our officers’ conditions is the provision of appropriate housing during and after their service. This task is monumental, as the Nigerian Police Force currently grapples with a significant housing shortage for its members across all ranks.

“Presently, housing capacity meets only about 10% of the needs of our more than 400,000-strong workforce. Moreover, years of neglect have rendered existing barracks accommodations largely inadequate, failing to meet the demands of modern 21st-century policing.

“In the past, the Nigeria Police Force has launched initiatives aimed at addressing these shortfalls, including the establishment of the Nigerian Police Force Property Development and Construction Co Ltd and forging partnerships with various state governments, government bodies, sister organisations, and private sector developers.”

He, however, noted that, unfortunately, the impact of these efforts has been minimal, while highlighting the urgent need for a strategic reassessment and a revamp of the Police’s execution framework to adequately meet officers’ housing needs.

He continued, “Today marks the launch of the inaugural Nigerian Police Housing Summit. Under the theme ‘Renewed Hope for Police Housing in Nigeria,’ and supported by sub-themes such as ‘Accessible Housing: An Indispensable Welfare Tool,’ and ‘Pragmatic Solutions for Police Housing,’ this summit is envisioned as a critical platform for discussing and developing strategies to realize our goal of providing accessible and affordable housing to our officers and men.

“This premier event also aims to foster comprehensive solutions for the swift delivery of quality, cost-effective housing solutions—both rental and owned—for our force members, active and retired.”

He added, “A critical discussion point will be the establishment of a 100billion Naira Police Housing Fund. Preliminary assessments are underway, and engagements with key players and institutions have begun. The experts and facilitators gathered here today will play a crucial role in refining our strategies and ideas.

“We firmly believe that our men and officers deserve better, and the current state of affairs offers little hope for meeting their housing needs effectively. Today, we take a significant step towards realizing our new vision and expanding opportunities for home ownership among our ranks.”