UN, Fayemi partner for 50,000 housing project in Ekiti
By Samuel Ogunsona
Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and the United Nations, (UN) will soon launch a 50,000 housing unit in the state, Irohinoodua heard on Tuesday.
The United Nations Sustainable Infrastructure Impact Investments (S3I) initiative and Ekiti State Government have agreed to help address housing shortages in Ekiti State, with a focus on sustainability and local economic development.
Ekiti State will join one of the largest affordable housing initiatives in the world, according to project facilitators.
The new agreement that will see at least 50,000 affordable homes built over the next decade.
“We are very excited to partner with UNOPS and SHS to deliver affordable housing to the people of Ekiti State,” said Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
He said further “This is how our promise of developing Ekiti and improving the lives of the people can be achieved. This partnership has come at an important time, during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has reminded us of the need to deliver quality social infrastructure to the people.”
The affordable homes will feature renewable energy and disease preventative technology – including solar panel roofs, waste-to-energy technology and mosquito-repelling coatings.
The initiative is expected to create thousands of local jobs and spur economic growth among a host of local industries.
“We are very pleased to support this contribution to Nigeria’s national development priorities and in particular, to help meet the critical need for affordable housing, through innovative approaches to construction and mortgage financing.”
Vitaly Vanshelboim – Assistant Secretary-General and Chief Executive of UNOPS Sustainable Infrastructure Impact Investments (S3I) initiative said.
According to him “UNOPS is strongly committed to helping find new ways to finance inclusive, resilient and sustainable development activities that generate positive social, economic and environmental impacts,” added Mr. Vanshelboim.
UNOPS and SHS will seek to mobilize resources from third-party investors to fund the initiative – which has an estimated gross development value (based on the sales value of completed homes) of up to $2 billion.”
To date, UNOPS S3I initiative has committed to delivering at least a million homes in multiple countries spanning three continents, to be built over the next decade.
The project involves the UNOPS and SHS seeking to mobilize resources from funding partners to support this initiative, which may eventually be worth up to $2 billion, SHS will supply proprietary state-of-the art technology to the project, as well as oversee the development of housing by qualified contractors, UNOPS will provide its comparative advantages in its mandated areas, such as: infrastructure, procurement and project management.
The government of Ekiti State will identify and allocate suitable land for potential developments, and help to create an enabling environment for foreign direct investment and mortgage finance.
