By Zaharaddeen Ishaq Abubakar

The Federal Government says it is committed to establishing Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones to boost local production, reduce construction costs and improve access to affordable housing.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja while declaring open the 56th Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Builders (NIOB).

The conference was held under the theme, “Repositioning the Building Profession: Advocacy and Policy Influence on Housing Delivery for a Sustainable Built Environment.”

Akume said the proposed hubs would strengthen domestic supply chains, support local manufacturing and make building materials more affordable and accessible to Nigerians.

He urged professional builders to contribute their technical expertise, research capacity and industry networks to the formulation and implementation of policies 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,” he said.

The SGF said the initiative was in line with the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly the government’s commitment to providing safe, durable, sustainable and affordable housing.

He stressed that housing was not merely about physical structures, but also about safety, dignity, family stability, wealth creation and improved quality of life.

Akume urged the NIOB to uphold professional standards and ensure that competence, ethics and public trust remained central to the building profession.

He also warned against poor supervision, the use of substandard materials, construction shortcuts, corruption and the engagement of unqualified personnel, saying such practices could endanger lives and undermine investments.

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He called on the institute to intensify public awareness about the dangers of quackery and ensure that certified builders did not lend their names or professional seals to projects they had not supervised.

On the rising cost of housing, Akume acknowledged that increasing construction costs were making home ownership difficult for many Nigerians.

He called for greater collaboration among professionals in the built environment, as well as measures including cost-effective designs, increased use of locally produced materials, bulk procurement, waste reduction, modern construction methods, transparent bills of quantities and stronger domestic supply chains.

The SGF also urged builders to take advantage of the Federal Government’s ongoing infrastructure projects, noting that more than 2,700 kilometres of highways and major roads were currently under construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation.

He cited the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road and the East-West Road among major projects being undertaken by the administration.

Akume challenged builders to actively participate in the country’s development by forming professional consortia, establishing auditable quality-management systems, training and certifying artisans, and competing for opportunities in housing, transportation infrastructure, public facilities and local-content projects.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to making housing and construction development a national priority, irrespective of political considerations.

The SGF congratulated the NIOB on its 56th conference and expressed confidence that its deliberations would produce practical strategies for improving housing delivery, professional standards and the sustainability of Nigeria’s built environment.

He subsequently declared the conference open.