The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is set to host a new 250-hectare residential and commercial city along Airport Road, projected to provide homes for 3,000 residents and create 2,500 jobs as the nation’s capital grapples with rising housing needs.

The project, known as Abuja Airport Garden City, is being developed by the First Rotech Group of Companies on a site located between the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and the Abuja Railway Station in Gousa, Abuja Municipal Area Council.

Speaking during a tour of the site, Chairman of First Rotech Group, High Chief Austin Oguejiofor, said the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to open up the economy through private sector-led growth.

National statistics show that the country faces a housing deficit of approximately 28 million units, with experts predicting a need for 700,000 new homes annually.

Reports noted that the deficit is acute in the FCT, with many citizens living in overcrowded, poorly constructed informal settlements.

According to Oguejiofor, the development of the project would not only address the FCT housing pressure but also stimulate its economy.

He commended the federal government for supporting the project, noting that the land had been approved and allocated, with preparations underway for a formal groundbreaking ceremony in the nation’s capital.

He said: “As you can see, we are preparing for the groundbreaking of the project. In this project, we are looking at about 2,000 to 3,000 residents within the Abuja Airport Garden City. All necessary amenities and facilities will be provided.

“Lands, dual carriageway, street lights, sewage systems, water system, sustainable electricity, green energy, I mean, shops and malls, recreational areas, hospitals, schools and universities. There is a church and a mosque for religious worship. I can say that it’s a full package, and we are ready to go.

“I therefore seize this opportunity to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating an enabling environment in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda for mass housing in Nigeria, beginning from Abuja, the nation’s capital city.

“Very soon, we will be inviting the Hon Minister of FCT, His Excellency, Barr Nyesom Wike and Mr President and other dignitaries to come here and do the groundbreaking.”

He added that the project would redefine Abuja’s housing and economic landscape while supporting the government’s drive for private sector-led mass housing.

The project is being executed in partnership with Dubai-based GTX Construction Ltd and T-One Technology Ltd, which will digitise infrastructure for navigation and property management.

Oguejiofor explained that the partnership is on the heels of developing a new layout for Abuja Airport Garden City, which he said would open a new vista in the housing and tourism sectors, with the aim of attracting huge businesses and reducing accommodation challenges.