Preamble:
Shelter is one of the most basic human needs. It is in fact a necessity. Shelter is universally considered as the second most important human need, after food of course. Having a good house to return to after the day’s work brings a certain comfort.
In Nigeria however, there is a housing deficit. This article seeks to highlight problems of housing in Nigeria and possible solutions
The British colonial rulers wanted houses that met up to the living conditions of their own country and proceeded to develop special areas, hence the establishment of Government Residential Areas (GRAs) around the country.
The houses in such areas were well planned and furnished with all necessary amenities. This approach only solved housing issues for a selected group.
Over the years, the Nigerian government has at various times tried different housing policies and programmes to address the housing problems in the country. Some of these policies are reflected in:
a. Land Use Act, 1978
d. National Urban Development Policy, 1997
e. Housing and Urban Development Policy, 2002
Some of their interventions include:
- The Nigerian Army Housing Scheme
- The Nigerian Police Force Housing Scheme
- The Nigerian Port Authority Housing Scheme
- Freehold Housing Scheme and Sites and Services Estates
- Workers Housing Estates
- Federal Housing Authority Estates
- With these interventions, there is still a housing deficit in Nigeria. Here’s why.
1. Land Use Act
The Land Use Act of 1978 put all land under the management of the government. The decree was to be advantageous for the country and its citizens with regulations to protect public interest as well as create efficiency of land use all over the country.
Purchasing land in Nigeria today without acquiring Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) from the government puts you at a disadvantage since the land is not really yours.
This prevents access to loans or funding to develop such property. Asides the high cost of land acquisition, the cost of acquiring Certificate of Occupancy and the process involved is in most cases very cumbersome and this poses a problem for housing development by individuals or real estate developers.
Exclusive Interview with MD, Chief Executive, T-Pumpy Concept Limited, One of the fast growing real Estate Development Company in Nigeria with over 75 Housing Estate Across Nigeria
it was in view of the above subject that Afrimarknews media team took a tour to T-Pumpy Concept Limited, a foremost real estate developer in Abuja, to gain more insight on the subject matter.
Afrimark:Good morning Good afternoon sir, For the Interest of those who have not seen or known you, can you please introduce yourself to the people out there?
Answer: My Names is Mr. Tayo, Aderelegbe am the Managing Director and chief executive of T- Pumpy Concept Limited limited, we are developers with a difference, we create enabling ground for you to get a genuine land and we encourage you to build with a convenient payment system.
Afrimark: Sir, can you please tell us what has been the driving force of T-Pumpy Real Estate Development Company:
Answer: Its all about God, its all about Shelter and it’s all about housing, with that I think that describes where our success is coming from.
Afrimark: The land use Act of 1978 has not still solved the challenges of housing in Nigeria, due to high cost of purchasing a property, what do you think that the government should do to help the citizens in that regard?
Answer: For me, Nigeria still need a lot of sensitization about the land use act, You see, a lot of people need to understand what the land use act is all about in Nigeria and what the land regulations means, I believe that we still need more enlightenment concerning land ownership title in Nigeria. People need to understand that all land belong to the government and any land you are occupying it is allocated for a period of 99 years after which you are expected to renew tenancy or return it back to government.
Afrimark: Shelter is one of most important needs of man after food, how has your company helped citizens in solving this important need?
Ans: Shelter play a very important role in the life of a man, shelter is life and shelter means many things if not everything to man. After a man feeds himself with food, the next is shelter and that is exactly what we are here to provide. If you talk to the lay man on the street about T-Pumpy they will tell you that is about affordability in fact, we are doing a lot to making sure that people are able to afford shelter and that is because we discovered what the government is saying and we keyed in to that. We have to fall in line with what the new FCT Minister is saying over land speculations. What he is saying is that he want to end land speculation in Abuja. Land speculation is when someone buys a piece of land and keep it over a period of time in other to sell at a high cost. This is what the FCT minister Chief Barrister Nyesom Wike is trying to discourage because, often a times people are not buoyant enough to buy such properties due their outrageous increase in price. For instance, you buy a land for 10 million, you are now waiting for a time when the land will become 100 million before you sell, that is what is called land speculation so, what we do to encourage people to build is that anyone that buys land from us in Abuja or any other place, we give the fellow 6,300 block to build with. That will encourage you to start building and that in turn will help to eliminate land speculation. You can still buy a building and convert to your taste to give it value and if you want, you can give it out for rent and by that’ it will appreciate in value.
Afrimark: May be the incentives is the main reason you are making so much wave in the industry, T-Pumpy everywhere, 3,600 blocks you said?
Answer: Laughter, Ha, Ha, Ha six thousand three hundred (6,300) blocks
Question: That will give me a complete bungalow I guess?
Answer: No, No, A duplex, you need 3,800 block to complete a four bedroom bungalow
Question: Your Company has made reasonable impact in the real estate industry, and a lot of people says, it was due to your rich background, while some says you have solid government backing, what can you attribute to it or say is the secrete behind these huge achievements?
Answer: Laughter, Ha, ha, I give glory to God, today that T-Pumpy has come to the limelight, but what people do not know about T-Pumpy is that here, we are not looking for big profit margin, little is just ok, very importantly, we think more about the civil servants. We even have a special payment plan for them, I can tell you that affordability is what has kept us going.
Question: MD T-Pumpy Sir, I think you are being one sided with government workers what about us that are in the private sector, are there no such plans for us too?
Answer: Laughter, ha no, no, we have plans for everybody for sure!
Question: Another major area in land development is the area boys for instance, in Lagos you must pay some certain amount to the area boys or Omo oni le for every step you take in your building, how have you been dealing with Community boys in property development in your project sites.
Answer: Yes, I think we don’t have such experiences in Abuja, and in other state where we have buildings, we are not really suffering that as much, being that the government already enacted law, the land grabbing act is becoming effective, if you are not the owner of the land why are you disturbing so, omo onile issue will soon be a thing of the past.
Question: In furtherance to the other question, are you also working in other states or are you just in Abuja alone?
Answer: Ha, ha, we are in Ekiti state, we are in Kwara state, we are in Oyo state and we are working on Abeokuta in Ogun state to be precise so, we are in so many places, presently we have over seventy five (75) estates across the nation.
Question: Many youths today are clamoring to go into real estate business, a lot of them see you from afar in your exotic cars and your beautiful office and they don’t know where you started from, what are your advice to them and what are the necessary requirements to become a real estate developer in Nigeria?
Answer: To me it didn’t really have much requirement. I came from accounting background and today faith found me where I am, I believe that the major requirement is that you must learn how to be truthful. The moment people believe in you every other things becomes story. When you receive money from people, give them value for what they have given you the money for. You need to earn people’s trust just like the politicians gain people’s vote on trust, people’s trust are the main thing you need’ to stand you out in this industry.
Question: How supportive is Federal government to the real estate developers in Nigeria, and to you what way have they been contributing to real estate developers.
Answer: Personally, I can say that government have been helpful because all we need from government is adequate documentation. Even the ones that were difficult before has now been made easy so that people don’t go through a lot of bottle neck in land documentation.
Question: What should we be expecting from T-Pumpy Concept limited say’ in the next five years from now?
Answer: Laughter, Ha ha, yes, if the Lord should keep us, towards the end of this year 2023, we are coming with something massive towards the end of the year
Question: This interview will not be complete without you telling us about yourself, you know! a lot of people say many things about your sudden breakthrough, some says is because your father supported you with so much money, others says you have someone in government, please tell us a bit about yourself?
Answer: You see, it has not been easy but God has made it easy, to start with my father is a photographer while my mother is a petty trader and does work with Federal Housing Authority. I wasn’t born with any silver spoon but God made me who I am today.
Afrimarknews: thank you so much for your time.
T-Pumpy: you are welcome, and thank you also for coming.
(L-R) Glory Raymond-Soulmedia, M.D, T-Pumpy Concept Ltd-Mr. A daralegbe Akintayo, MD-Soulmedia Communication Ltd. Hon. Sunny Davids, Kennedy Johnson-Soulmedia
