The Federal Government and Family Homes Funds Limited (FHFL) are set to commission 1,600 bed spaces at Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden, marking the first university-level delivery under the National Student Housing Programme (NASHP).
Commissioning Details and Key Dignitaries
Abdul-Mutallab Mukhtar, managing director and CEO of FHFL, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja. He said the hostel will be inaugurated by Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, and Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa.
The event underscores the collaborative effort between federal and state authorities to address student accommodation deficits in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Public-Private Partnership Structure
Mukhtar disclosed that NASHP is a Public-Private Partnership involving FHFL, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), and the Student Housing Company (SHC). Under the arrangement, FHFL provides development finance and programme management, while TETFund anchors the intervention within tertiary education funding.
“SHC provides private capital and long-term facilities management, reducing pressure on government and institutions to finance accommodation infrastructure,” he said.
This model aims to leverage private sector efficiency while maintaining public oversight, ensuring sustainable delivery of student housing across the country.
Programme Scale and Facility Features
Mukhtar said the Akwa Ibom project is the second completed site under the 24-institution programme, following a hostel at the College of Education, Warri, Delta State. The national programme is designed to deliver 38,400 bed spaces across 12 universities, six polytechnics, and six colleges of education.
“Each hostel comprises 1,600 bed spaces in 400 en suite rooms, with study tables, chairs, reading rooms, a common room, a cafeteria and laundry facilities,” he said.
The facilities are designed to provide a conducive living and learning environment, supporting students’ academic performance and well-being.
Employment and Economic Impact
Mukhtar said the programme would also create jobs through local contractors, artisans, suppliers, and permanent facility management roles across participating institutions. This injection of economic activity is expected to benefit host communities and contribute to local development.
FHFL is a government-promoted social housing institution that finances and supports affordable housing development, while creating jobs and helping low- and middle-income and vulnerable Nigerians achieve homeownership.
The commissioning of the Akwa Ibom hostel marks a significant step in expanding student housing infrastructure, with more projects expected to come on stream under the 24-institution programme.
