The Federal Government has announced plans to transform the long-abandoned Federal Secretariat in Ikoyi, Lagos, into luxury apartments. This initiative is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to repurpose disused government assets into modern housing facilities to benefit Nigerians.
Housing and Urban Development Minister, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, made the announcement during an inspection of the secretariat and other Federal Government properties in Lagos. He noted that the redevelopment is aimed at addressing Lagos State’s significant housing deficit.
“The transformation of these facilities will not only provide housing solutions but also serve public interest,” Dangiwa stated, adding that the Federal Government is exploring a tripartite arrangement to resolve the existing disputes surrounding the property.
The Ikoyi Federal Secretariat has remained unused since the nation’s capital was relocated from Lagos to Abuja in 1991. In 2006, the government entered a 99-year Development Lease Agreement (DLA) with Resort International Limited to convert the complex into 480 luxury apartments. However, redevelopment was halted in 2007 when the Lagos State government objected, citing zoning conflicts under the Ikoyi Model City Plan.
The halted project has reportedly cost the company damages amounting to N88 billion. Dangiwa assured that discussions are ongoing to resolve the legal and financial impasse, including negotiations with Lagos State and Resort International Limited.
“We will talk to the Lagos State government and the concessionaire to ensure this project moves forward,” Dangiwa said. He highlighted that the Federal Government might consider buying out the concessionaire’s lease to fast-track the redevelopment.
Dangiwa also inspected other abandoned federal properties in Lagos, including the Lagos Field Headquarters’ Office at Tafawa Balewa Square and a 60-bed hostel facility in Onikan. The minister emphasized that budgetary constraints necessitate exploring Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements for such projects.
Under the PPP model, private investors will be invited to redevelop these properties, recover their investment, and eventually transfer ownership back to the government. This approach aligns with Tinubu’s administration’s Renewed Hope housing project, which aims to deliver 2,000 housing units in Lagos within months before extending similar projects to Kano and Abuja.
Dangiwa assured Nigerians that professionals in the Ministry of Housing would oversee the projects to ensure high-quality construction and timely delivery.
