The Federal Government has approved a ₦10 billion housing loan scheme aimed at expanding access to affordable home ownership for civil servants across the country.
The initiative was announced on Friday in Abuja by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, during a joint briefing with officials of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and other agencies.
Walson-Jack said the scheme, approved by President Bola Tinubu, is designed to address Nigeria’s housing deficit while improving the welfare and stability of public servants.
“The President has approved a ten billion Naira housing loan scheme for civil servants to improve access to home ownership. This will be facilitated through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board,” she said.
She added that home ownership would not only improve workers’ quality of life but also enhance productivity in the public service.
“There is a saying that a person who owns their home stands differently. When a civil servant knows their family has a place they can call their own, they come to work with more stability, focus, and purpose,” she explained.
Beyond housing, the government also announced a broader welfare package for civil servants, including enhanced retirement benefits under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
According to Walson-Jack, retiring treasury-funded civil servants will now receive 100 per cent of their total annual emoluments as an additional benefit, effective January 1, 2026, in line with relevant provisions of the Pension Reform Act 2014.
She also confirmed upward adjustments in several allowances, including peculiar allowance, duty tour allowance for training programmes, estacode, and book allowances.
“These adjustments have been carefully calibrated to reflect current economic realities,” she noted.
On his part, speaking on the housing scheme, the Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Usman Osidi, described the initiative as a major step toward improving living conditions for federal workers.
He said the partnership with the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board marks a renewed commitment to affordable housing delivery.
“At the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, we believe access to safe, decent and affordable housing is not a luxury but a necessity,” Osidi said. “It is central to dignity, productivity and national development.”
He explained that funding under the scheme would be channelled through the National Housing Fund to support civil servants in areas such as home ownership, renovation, rent assistance, and incremental housing development.
“The Federal Mortgage Bank will provide funding for on-lending to federal civil servants. Given rising construction costs and income pressures, innovative housing solutions are urgently needed,” Osidi explained.