FG plans to establish N100bn Police Housing Fund

The Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, has announced a plan by the Federal Government to establish a N100 billion Police Housing Fund.

The announcement was made at the inaugural Nigerian Police Housing Summit held at the Abuja Continental Hotel, where the theme was “Renewed Hope for Police Housing in Nigeria.”

During his speech, the Inspector General highlighted that improving police officers’ welfare, particularly in housing, is a priority for his administration.

He emphasized that the housing situation within the Nigerian Police Force is dire, with only 10% of the more than 400,000-strong police force having adequate housing.

This is due to years of neglect, leaving most police accommodations outdated and insufficient for modern needs.

Previous initiatives to address the housing shortfall, such as partnerships with state governments and private developers, have had limited success.

This is why the new housing fund aims to significantly improve the situation by providing better housing options for police personnel during and after their service.

The summit is designed to be a platform for discussing and developing strategies to provide accessible and affordable housing for police officers. It includes sub-themes like “Accessible Housing: An Indispensable Welfare Tool” and “Pragmatic Solutions for Police Housing.”

The event aims to foster comprehensive solutions for quickly delivering quality and cost-effective housing for both active and retired officers.

The proposed N100 billion Police Housing Fund will be a key focus of the summit, with discussions on strategies to make it effective.

Preliminary assessments are ongoing, and collaborations with key stakeholders have begun to refine the plans.

The IG also thanked President Bola Tinubu and the Honourable Minister of Housing, Ahmed Dangiwa, for their support of affordable housing through the “Renewed Hope Cities” initiative.

This underscores the commitment to finding lasting solutions for the Nigerian Police Force’s housing needs.