The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially announced its plans to sell a sprawling estate consisting of 753 housing units, which were recently recovered from the former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to Nigerians in the low and middle-income brackets. This initiative forms part of the government’s broader housing strategy aimed at increasing homeownership among ordinary citizens.
Located in Abuja, the estate covers an impressive area of over 150,000 square metres and comprises a variety of residential properties, including numerous duplexes. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has described this seizure as the largest single asset recovery in the history of the commission, highlighting the significant scale of the property involved.
This estate was confiscated following a final forfeiture order issued by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court on December 2, 2024. The court’s decision was based on evidence linking the property to Godwin Emefiele, who attempted to reclaim the estate in April 2025 by filing an application. Emefiele claimed that the EFCC concealed the forfeiture proceedings from him, but the court dismissed his application, upholding the forfeiture order.
Subsequently, on May 20, 2025, the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, formally handed over the property to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, marking a significant step towards the estate’s integration into the government’s housing distribution plans.
This sale initiative aligns closely with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, a policy framework designed to make homeownership more accessible and affordable for all Nigerians, particularly those in low and middle-income categories.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Saturday PUNCH, the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Housing, Badamasi Haiba, provided further insights into the project. Haiba revealed that the estate is still under construction and that before the houses are made available for purchase, comprehensive structural and integrity assessments will be carried out to ensure the homes meet quality and safety standards.
Haiba also detailed that the homes will be marketed and sold exclusively through the ministry’s official online portal renewedhopehomes.fmhud.gov.ng. The portal will feature flexible payment options such as mortgages, instalment plans, and rent-to-own schemes, designed to accommodate the financial capabilities of a broad spectrum of Nigerians.
“The next phase will involve profiling the houses and determining how best to offer them to Nigerians,” Haiba explained. “The Minister of Housing’s intention has consistently been to promote homeownership across all income levels, especially targeting low and middle-income earners, so this initiative is expected to reflect those objectives comprehensively.”
He stressed that the entire sales process will be conducted digitally and transparently through the portal to minimize human interference, ensuring fairness, equity, and public trust throughout the transaction process.
“With only 753 units in this particular estate, the ministry is simultaneously working on over 10,000 housing units nearing completion nationwide under the Renewed Hope Housing Programme,” Haiba added, highlighting the scale of the government’s efforts in the housing sector.
Addressing concerns that the properties might be secretly allocated to politically connected individuals, Haiba dismissed such speculation, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
“People often speculate based on past experiences, but the current Renewed Hope administration is charting a different course with its focus on openness and integrity,” Haiba said. “Through the renewedhopehomes.fmhud.gov.ng portal, the ministry has eliminated human discretion from the sales process, ensuring it remains transparent and inclusive.”
“Any Nigerian, regardless of location, can easily access the portal from home, browse available units and locations, select their preferred house type and payment option, submit their application online, and receive an offer letter immediately — all without any need for intermediaries or manual pr
ocesses.”