The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria has called for stronger policies and partnerships to empower women in the housing and construction sector, noting that their growing participation is vital to sustainable economic development.
FMBN stated this in a statement issued on Friday and obtained by The PUNCH.
According to the statement, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of FMBN, Shehu Osidi, made the call while delivering a keynote address at the maiden edition of the Africa Women in Housing and Construction Conference and Business Expo 2026 held in Abuja last week.
Speaking on the conference theme, ‘Work, wealth and worth: Redefining work, building wealth and elevating worth’, Osidi noted that “redefining work means dismantling barriers that limit women’s access to opportunities in the built environment.”
The FMBN boss, who was represented at the event by the Group Head of Corporate Communications, Jadesola Gbago, observed that Nigerian women have made significant strides in the workplace over the past decade, “particularly through increased participation in corporate leadership, entrepreneurship and science-based professions”.
“Across Nigeria, women architects, engineers, artisans, developers, policymakers, financiers and community leaders are meaningfully shaping our cities and rural communities,” Osidi said.
He further stressed that many construction sites are now dotted with women not only working on-site as artisans but also playing the more central roles of on-site supervisors and technical professionals.
Highlighting the growing influence of women in real estate, Osidi noted that women are increasingly transitioning from passive investors to active developers and property managers, while more female-headed households are now making key housing and investment decisions.
He, however, observed that challenges such as gender discrimination, limited political representation and access to finance still hinder women’s full economic participation but assured that collaborative financing models such as cooperative societies are helping women overcome barriers to homeownership.
Reaffirming the bank’s commitment to women’s empowerment, Osidi reasserted FMBN’s openness to collaboration and partnerships that expand access to affordable housing and mortgage financing for women.
“When women are valued, society prospers; when women lead, development becomes more sustainable and people-centred,” he said.
Osidi further commended the convener of the conference and founder of the Africa Women in Housing and Construction Network, Flora Anne, for creating a platform for amplifying the voices, value and visibility of women in Africa’s built environment.
The two-day conference, which focused on institutional power, policy, finance and access, drew participation from housing sector experts, including the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Shuaib Belgore; key female directors of the ministry; a representative of the President and Chairman of the Council of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria, HRM Oba Akintoye Adeoye; as well as representatives of architects, town planners, surveyors and other professionals across the built environment value chain.
The practical session provided a platform for the representatives to take participants through the steps of accessing a mortgage facility from the Bank. The conference ended on Tuesday, 17 March 2026, with a focus on ownership, structure, wealth and legacy.
