By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, Nigerian Army Medal, has commissioned a 60-unit Affordable Home Ownership Option for All Soldiers (AHOOAS) Housing Estate, alongside a Post Service Housing Development Limited (PHDL) Shopping Complex at Akobo, Ibadan, as part of sustained efforts to enhance the welfare of Nigerian Army personnel.
Speaking at the ceremony, Lieutenant General Shaibu described the project as a practical demonstration of the Nigerian Army’s Soldier First philosophy, stressing that access to decent and affordable housing is central to troop morale, operational effectiveness and post-service stability. He noted that the AHOOAS scheme was designed to ensure that soldiers retire in dignity, with secure home ownership in locations of their choice.
The COAS recalled that the pilot phase of the AHOOAS project at Idu, Abuja, delivered over 400 housing units, all of which are currently occupied by soldiers and their families.
He added that the success of the pilot informed the expansion of the scheme to Ibadan, Benin, Jos, Akwa Ibom and other locations nationwide, while plans are also underway to fast-track home ownership for Army Warrant Officers.
Lieutenant General Shaibu commended the Government of Oyo State for its sustained support to military formations and appreciated traditional institutions for promoting peace and cooperation. He also lauded the management of PHDL for its professionalism in project delivery and acknowledged Family Homes Funds Limited for partnering with the Nigerian Army to construct 50 housing units for widows of fallen heroes.
The COAS called on other state governments to support the scheme through land allocation for future phases, emphasising that affordable housing remains a critical pillar of the Nigerian Army’s transformation agenda, in line with the vision of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
In his remarks, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of PHDL, Major General Isiah Alison, disclosed that the Ibadan project comprises of 60 housing units, 30 two-bedroom houses for Non-Commissioned soldiers and 30 three-bedroom houses for Senior Non-Commissioned Soldiers. He stated that five per cent of the houses were allocated free of charge to soldiers who sustained disabilities in the line of duty, while 70 per cent of the units were reserved for soldiers at highly subsidised rates.
Major General Alison explained that houses constructed at costs of up to ₦30 million were sold to soldiers for as low as ₦7.5 million, describing the initiative as a deliberate welfare intervention rather than a commercial venture. He added that similar housing projects are ongoing in other locations, alongside service shopping complexes designed to support small businesses and stimulate local economic activities of troops family.
