Africa’s largest construction expo kicked off yesterday in Abuja with stakeholders commending the leading cement manufacturer, Dangote Cement Plc for its complementing roles in the efforts of the federal government at making housing affordable to the generality of Nigerians.
The housing fair which was declared opened by the Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo attracted stakeholders and other professionals from the built industrial sub-sector of Nigeria’s economy and allied industries
The expo tagged Africa International Housing Show (AIHS), which sponsorship is being spearheaded by Dangote Cement is an avenue to draw attention to housing deficit in African countries and contribute to the formulation of policies towards resolving all the issues in the real estate sector on the continent with specific attention to the peculiarities of Africa member countries.
Speaking to newsmen on the sideline of the expo, Coordinator of the Show, Mr. Festus Adebayo, commended thee philosophy of the Dangote Group as Pan African, saying the conglomerate has presence across African countries, and therefore contributing to the development of the real sector of the continent.
He said: “Dangote Group is an excellent partner of the AIHS. It has done very well. It’s a brand that has contributed enormously to the development of the real estate sector of the African countries.”
According to him, it was time the government and the private sector like the Dangote Group, collaborated to mitigate the county’s housing deficit, adding that when tackled it would solve the menace of banditry and economic related insecurity in Nigeria.
The Dangote Cement Plc, he said, has been playing a major role in reversing the ills of substandard and collapsed building in the country.
In the same vein, participants and stakeholders who visited the company’s stand at the expo commended the Group’s industrialization and job creation stride in Africa.
AIHS provides the platform to share competitive ideas, cutting edge innovations and influence public and private policies that will support real sector development.
For 16 years now, AIHS has become a major destination for global and local stakeholders, building and construction companies, mortgage companies, public agencies, private corporations and home seekers to learn, network, exhibit and make sales.
Meanwhile, Dangote will be having its Special Day at the show on Thursday with hierarchies from the organization storming the venue to give the day a fillip.