Army chief commissions 60-unit AHOOAS Housing Estate, shopping complex in Ibadan
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has commissioned a 60-unit Affordable Home Ownership Option for All Soldiers (AHOOAS) Housing Estate and a Post Service Housing Development Limited (PHDL) Shopping Complex at Akopo, Ibadan, Oyo State, in furtherance of the Nigerian Army’s welfare and housing programme for its personnel.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Friday, Lieutenant General Shaibu said the project reiterates the Nigerian Army’s Soldier First philosophy, stressing that access to decent and affordable housing is fundamental to morale, operational effectiveness and post-service stability. He explained that the AHOOAS scheme is structured to ensure that soldiers retire in dignity through secure home ownership in locations of their choice.
The army chief recalled that the pilot phase of the AHOOAS project at Idu, Abuja, delivered over 400 housing units, all of which are presently occupied by soldiers and their families. He said the success of the pilot informed the expansion of the scheme to Ibadan, Benin, Jos, Akwa Ibom and other locations nationwide, adding that plans are underway to accelerate home ownership opportunities for Army Warrant Officers.
Lieutenant General Shaibu commended the Oyo State Government for its sustained support to military formations and appreciated traditional institutions for their roles in 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 soldiers.
The COAS called on state governments across the federation to support the initiative through land allocation for subsequent phases, noting that affordable housing remains a critical component 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.
In his remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of PHDL, Major General Isiah Alison, said the Ibadan estate comprises 60 housing units, including 30 two-bedroom houses for Non-Commissioned Officers and 30 three-bedroom houses for Senior Non-Commissioned Officers.
He disclosed that five per cent of the housing units were allocated free of charge to soldiers who sustained disabilities in the line of duty, while 70 per cent 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 beneficiaries for as low as ₦7.5 million, describing the initiative as a deliberate welfare intervention rather than a commercial undertaking.
He added that similar housing projects are ongoing in other locations nationwide, alongside the development of service shopping complexes aimed at supporting small-scale businesses and enhancing the economic activities of soldiers’ families.
