Encourage Commercial Banks To Give Mortgage Loans – Experts

Some property experts on Tuesday advised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to encourage commercial banks to provide mortgage loans to drive growth of the real estate industry.

They made the plea in separate interviews with newsmen in Lagos.

Mr Titilope Bamgbala, a property developer, said that involvement of commercial banks in the mortgage finance market would address the problem of housing deficit in the country.

“Commercial banks in Nigeria are not providing mortgage financing, instead they offer short and medium-terms loans and which also come with stringent conditions.

“The provision of houses, through the creation of mortgages, would address the challenges facing developing countries like Nigeria.

“Government should revamp the mortgage finance market, being the foundation of real estate industry anywhere in the world,” he said.

Mr Tunde Makanjuola, Managing Partner in Katalyst Management, said that sound economic policies and amendment of existing land laws would move the industry forward.

“The potential of real industry is too enormous to be neglected.

“The industry can single handedly turn the fortunes of the country around and make life better for all,” he said.

Mr Shafiudeen Ibrahim, a building consultant, said that foreign investors were already aware of these opportunities and would invest if the environment was made conducive for them.

“With housing deficit in excess of 15 million units with an estimated mortgage financing gap of over N30 trillion, Nigeria could be an investor haven,” he said.