Ogun partners Lafarge on advanced construction technology

Recognising the rising housing deficit in Nigeria, coupled with serious overstretching impacts on inadequate housing facilities, the Ogun state government is to partner Lafarge Africa Plc, on advanced construction technology to speed up development in the housing sector in the State.

The huge housing gap and challenges inherent in the Nigeria’s housing sector, according to official declaration, has prompted government on the possibility of partnership with relevant firms in building materials and construction industry, including Lafarge Africa with a view to developing joint frameworks on the provision of solid and affordable housing for people.

Speaking on “Housing Deficit in Developing Economies: Challenges, Prospects” in a lecture to mark the 2015 Press Week of Ogun State Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Babajide Odusolu, managing Director, Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC) disclosed that efforts were at final stage to partner Lafarge Africa on housing development.

He said that it was a fact that Nigeria needs 17 million housing units annually to bridge gap in housing industry, but Nigerians were not doing enough as regards vocational skills acquisition, required in the course of building and construction of housing facilities in the country, adding that Nigeria’s housing industry relies so much on the skills and expertise acquired from the neighbouring countries.