In a bid to drive down the cost of housing construction and promote local innovation, the Director and Head of Department of Federal Public Assets Maintenance in the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Ibechile Egwudale, has unveiled a suite of inventions aimed at revolutionising housing delivery in Nigeria.
The Honourable Minister of Housing, Ahmed Dangiwa, alongside the management staff led by the Permanent Secretary, Shuaib Belgore, noted that the innovations include a range of both manual and semi-automated machines designed to improve cost-efficiency and promote the use of local materials in housing projects.
The machines showcased include interlocking compressed earth block machines, both manual and automated, as well as pulverising and sifting machines, compacting and hoisting devices, sandcrete mixers, mini-tractors, ogbono seed cutters, and food processing machines like hammer mills, de-stoners, and mixers.
“This innovation supports the use of locally sourced materials, reducing dependence on expensive imported products and minimising construction costs, especially for affordable housing,” Egwudale stated.
He emphasised that the initiative is anchored on the adoption of Compressed Earth Block technology, which provides an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to conventional building materials.
“Their application in the housing sector will promote sustainable construction practices and generate local employment, empower artisans, and accelerate project delivery timelines across rural and urban areas,” he remarked.
They praised the director’s creativity and initiative, describing it as a vital step towards achieving the Ministry’s goal of providing affordable housing for Nigerians.
He encouraged Egwudale to deepen his research and explore opportunities for improvement. “Carry out further research and make comparisons to see areas of modification and improvement,” the Minister advised, adding that he should “come up with an extensive and comprehensive report on how to use brick construction for the Social Housing Programme.”
Belgore also commended the director’s efforts and urged him to continue pushing for innovation. He requested that the director “bring up the designs of the brick housing units to the Ministry for assessment.”
Belgore noted that he has led numerous design initiatives in the Federal Civil Service and earned acclaim for developing machines for the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute.
