The Federal Government has handed over 24 housing units built under the National Housing Programme (NHP) to the University of Ilesa, in a move aimed at improving staff welfare and supporting institutional development.
The handover ceremony took place at the university campus in Osun State on Thursday.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, who was represented by the Director of Public Buildings and Housing Development, QS. Pemi Samuel Temitope, described the project as a strategic intervention to enhance productivity in key public institutions.
He said the provision of decent and affordable housing remains a top priority of the Federal Government, noting that access to quality accommodation is essential for the well-being of citizens and the efficiency of public institutions.
Dangiwa emphasised the importance of universities in national development, describing them as centres of knowledge, innovation and human capital development that require adequate infrastructure, including housing for their workforce.
According to him, the newly delivered housing units are designed to provide a conducive living environment for staff, thereby boosting productivity and supporting the institution’s drive towards academic excellence.
The Minister commended the university management for its collaboration with the ministry and urged the institution to ensure proper maintenance and optimal use of the facilities to guarantee sustainability.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to implementing policies and programmes that expand access to affordable housing and improve the living standards of Nigerians.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Taiwo Olufemi Asaolu, described the handover as a major milestone in the institution’s development, particularly in its plans to establish a Faculty of Technology.
He disclosed that the university had been shortlisted by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for High Impact Intervention Projects, adding that the availability of the housing units would help provide the infrastructure needed to expand academic programmes.
Asaolu noted that the institution, which operated as a College of Education for over 47 years before its transition to a university, had faced serious accommodation challenges affecting programme accreditation in fields such as Law, Medicine, Nursing and Medical Laboratory Science.
He said the university had previously resorted to converting classrooms into temporary hostel facilities due to lack of access to the structures, expressing appreciation to the Ministry for facilitating the transfer.
The handover, officials said, underscores the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to improve living conditions and support educational institutions through targeted housing interventions.
