Up to 7, 315 applications from prospective House owners were received within six days after the launch of the National Housing Programme, said the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola.
Portal for the National Housing Programme comprising of one, two and three bedroom apartments for sale at prices ranging from N7.2million to N13million, was opened at the Headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Housing in Mabushi on Friday last week.
Updating members of the Senate Committee on Housing on progress made so far on the programme during 2022 budget defence session on Thursday, the Minister said on the available 5,000 Units of Houses for sale in 34 out of the 36 States of the federation , 7,315 applications were received within six days.
The applications, he added were from Nigerians cutting across 14 or 16 states as no applications have been received from 20 states.
“The applications received so far from prospective House owners are about 2, 315 higher than the available 5,000 housing units available for now.
“This is even as applications have not been received from Nigerian workers in about 20 States,” he said.
According to him, the current National Housing Programme is a pilot or demonstration scheme meant, among others, to galvanize private sector participation.
On Housing Housing deficit, the Minister told the Commitee chaired by Senator Sam Egwu that solution to it was not just on building of houses but marketing the empty ones.
He added that the National Housing Programme had not succeeded in the past and some of the houses built then still remain emptyy! due to cultural or financial factors.