On Thursday, November 06, 2025, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, alongside the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FHA, Oyetunde Ojo, flagged-off the construction of the Renewed Hope Estate in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, reinforcing the Federal Government’s strategy to expand access to affordable housing and reduce Nigeria’s overbearing supply deficit.
Governor Eno has received commendations for his early commitment to the Renewed Hope Housing Programme. As a proactive leader, the Governor fully understood the importance of having more of such projects coming to Akwa Ibom State, as Housing for all is one of the cardinal points in the 18 thematics areas that made up the ARISE Agenda. Just as the Governor has already offered another 50 hectares of land to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, for construction of Housing Estate in Akwa Ibom State.
According to Oyetunde, the Renewed Hope Housing Programme represents President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader commitment to delivering affordable, livable communities nationwide. He highlighted the FHA’s ongoing efforts to complete and commission inherited projects, consistent with the President’s directive that public Housing developments must no longer remain abandoned or stalled.
The Housing project is expected to strengthen inclusive development, improve quality of life, create jobs, and stimulate the local economy. It will support small businesses and enhances social cohesion amongst other things. This is indeed one of the benefits that Akwa Ibom State derives from the Federal Government, having been connected to the center, and more projects are coming to the State, including the big one, Ibom Deep Seaport, which is one of the Projects that Akwa Ibom people are waiting to see its realization.
The State Government has reiterated its stand in expanding support for Housing policy. It may interest you to know that Akwa Ibom State was chosen as one of the pilot States for the flagged-off of the Housing Estate Project. Other States are Kaduna, Abia, Ogun, Ekiti, Kogi and Adamawa State. Making Akwa Ibom State, the first beneficiary from States in the South South region. This is a testament to the cordial relationship that exist between Governor Eno and the Federal Government of Nigeria. Linking the State to the center remains one of the greatest achievements of Governor Umo Eno in the golden era administration.
Addressing the public during the flagged-off ceremony, Governor Eno stated that Akwa Ibom is simultaneously investing in dedicated residential clusters for civil servants, including Aviation Village, Judicial City, Legislative and Executive Estates. The Governor pledged full State collaboration to ensure the timely completion of the FHA project and announced that security coverage will be extended to protect the site and sorrounding communities.
The Renewed Hope Housing Scheme operates through a shared implementation model: State Government provide land and basic infrastructure, while the FHA overseas construction, management and delivery. The structure is design to reduce project cost, accelerate timelines, and enhance transparency in housing allocation. It behoves on the leadership of various Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State, to take a lesson from the State Government, in making land available for State Government projects in a timely manner. Governor Eno has demonstrated leadership by example, in making land available in the State promptly for Federal Government Projects.
The Renewed Hope Housing Initiative supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, on affordable housing, sustainable cities, and decent work, particularly as it stimulates local employment and construction related industries.
The launch of the Renewed Hope Housing Estate in Uyo, underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding accessible housing for low-and-middle-income households, while strengthening Federal Government and State Government partnerships. This is in tandem with Governor Eno’s vision of providing housing for the less privileged through the building of Arise Compassionate Homes across all the political wards in Akwa Ibom and donation of free homes to civil servants in the State.
Arise, that same God.
Pastor Solomon Essiet, ACIA
Special Assistant on New Media to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State
