Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has assured members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council that plans for the long-anticipated affordable housing estate for journalists in Abuja will soon materialise.
Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja during the NUJ FCT Council Press Week Lecture and Awards Ceremony, themed “Journalism in a Changing World: Press Freedom, Media, Democracy, and Society,” Dangiwa reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He highlighted the Renewed Hope Housing Programme and National Urban Renewal Initiatives as key efforts to expand housing access for Nigerians.
Dangiwa said the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), through the Cooperative Housing Development initiative, will be directed to provide land for the construction of the journalists’ housing estate in the capital.
“To the Chairman, NUJ FCT chapter, I want to assure you of our previous engagement and discussions towards having the journalists’ village in the FCT,” he said. “Your dream will become a reality as I pledged during our courtesy call and meeting.”
Beyond housing, the minister advocated for improved legal protections and sustainable funding for independent media, stressing that journalists must feel “safe, respected, and supported.”
“Journalists today face growing challenges, from online harassment to misinformation and economic pressure. But your work is crucial. Democracy depends not just on elections but on accurate, timely, and fair information — and that’s what the press provides,” he said.
Dangiwa urged journalists to continue holding the ministry accountable by reporting on its programmes and initiatives. “No one is better placed to tell our story to the public than you — the editors, photographers, producers, and reporters who serve as the nation’s eyes and ears,” he added.
Earlier, NUJ FCT Council Chairperson Grace Ike described the housing project as a key goal of her administration, emphasising ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and FMBN.
“Our goal is simple: to provide decent, affordable homes for journalists and their families in the heart of the nation’s capital,” Ike said.
She also unveiled other union initiatives, including the modernisation of the NUJ Congress Hall, procurement of a coastal bus, completion of the Pentagon Hall, and the establishment of a journalists’ welfare scheme.
“These are not luxuries; they are foundational investments in the future of journalism,” she stated, calling on government agencies, media owners, and partners to support the union’s vision.
