The Abuja Property Development Company (APDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing the housing deficit in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with plans to expand housing delivery and improve access to homeownership for civil servants and middle-income earners.

The company said its existing and ongoing housing projects across the territory had provided opportunities for hundreds of families to own homes, while calling on the government to provide infrastructure to reduce construction costs and make houses more affordable.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of APDC, Akeem Kolawole Aderogba, disclosed this during an interview with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, as the company marked its 20th anniversary.

Aderogba said APDC began its housing development at Kapa District with 50 hectares of land, which was divided into three sections, adding that more than 800 families were currently moving into the estate.

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He said the company had expanded its operations to other locations, including APDC Homes in Karsana, scheduled for commissioning, which would accommodate at least 200 families.

According to him, another development at APDC Homes, Idungwari, in Life Camp, is expected to accommodate at least 150 households.

He said the projects were designed to serve different categories of residents, particularly civil servants and middle- and low-income earners who often struggle to afford houses in the FCT.

Aderogba explained that the company was also leveraging mortgage arrangements to ease the financial burden of homeownership, allowing eligible buyers to make an initial deposit and pay the balance through mortgage financing.

He said APDC had collaborated with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria through the National Housing Fund (NHF), as well as the Federal Government's housing scheme, to improve access to homes for civil servants.

Under the arrangements, he said, eligible workers could secure houses without having to raise the entire purchase price at once.

On the factors responsible for the housing deficit, Aderogba identified the rising costs of building materials, inflation and infrastructure development as major challenges affecting housing affordability.

He said the increasing prices of cement, sand and other construction materials had continued to push up the cost of building houses, making homeownership increasingly difficult for many residents.

He added that infrastructure development accounted for between 30 and 40 per cent of the total cost of housing projects, a burden that was eventually reflected in the prices paid by prospective homeowners.

Aderogba therefore urged the government to support property developers by providing essential infrastructure, including roads and other basic facilities, to reduce development costs.

"If the government can come to the aid of developers by providing infrastructure, it will reduce the cost of houses," he said.

He explained that government intervention would enable developers to concentrate more resources on construction, thereby making houses available at prices that civil servants and other residents could afford.

Earlier, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL), Ambassador Maureen Tamuno, said APDC's 20th anniversary was an opportunity to reflect on its contributions to housing development and consider how it could respond to the growing needs of the FCT.

Tamuno, who was the chief host at the anniversary symposium themed, "From Foundation to Landmark: Building Communities and Enriching Lives," said the story of APDC was closely linked to that of AICL, its parent company.

She explained that APDC originated as the property division of the then Abuja Investments and Property Development Company before operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of AICL.

According to her, AICL has continued to provide strategic direction, corporate governance and institutional support to APDC over the years.

Tamuno said the company's next phase of development must prioritise people by expanding access to homeownership, strengthening the security and dignity associated with owning a home, and ensuring that housing projects deliver lasting social benefits.

The anniversary symposium brought together stakeholders to reflect on APDC's journey and discuss the future of real estate development, with emphasis on affordability, sustainability and inclusive community development.