The federal government on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to delivering a long-awaited affordable housing estate for members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, made this known while speaking at the NUJ FCT Press Week Lecture and Awards Ceremony on Tuesday in Abuja, Dangiwa assured that the dream of a “Journalists’ Village” in the FCT would soon materialize.
The theme of the event was “Journalism in a Changing World: Press Freedom, Media, Democracy, and Society.”
“To the NUJ FCT Chairman, I want to assure you of our previous engagement and discussions towards having the journalists’ village in the FCT,” the Minister stated. “We are going to direct the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), through the Cooperative Housing Development, to provide the land to build this estate. Your dream will become a reality.”
The housing project aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly the Renewed Hope Housing Programme and the National Urban Renewal Initiatives aimed at making decent housing more accessible and affordable to Nigerians.
Dangiwa, a former Managing Director of FMBN, emphasized that journalists deserve not only better living conditions but also stronger legal protections and sustainable support systems.
“I say this not just as a minister, but as a citizen who believes in the power of ideas and the sensibility of those who support them,” he noted.
He also charged journalists to continue holding the ministry accountable by scrutinizing its projects and educating the public on its objectives.
“We want Nigerians to understand why we are doing what we do—and no one is better placed to help tell that story than you, the journalists, editors, photographers, and producers who serve as the eyes and ears of the public.”
The Minister commended President Tinubu for championing press freedom, transparency, and open dialogue, noting that under his administration, there has been genuine respect for the role of the media.
“That’s not just lip service—it’s policy, it’s practice, and it’s part of the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
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Dangiwa further highlighted the evolving nature of journalism in the digital age, stressing the risks that now accompany the profession. He decried the growing threats, misinformation, and harassment journalists—especially women—face daily.
“Digital innovation has made it easier to reach audiences and expose wrongdoing, but it has also made the job more dangerous. Online harassment is real, and many journalists face threats simply for doing their jobs.”
He called for stronger legal protections and improved funding models to safeguard press freedom and media sustainability in Nigeria.
Earlier, the Chairperson of NUJ FCT Council, Ms. Grace Ike, reiterated the union’s top priority of establishing a Journalists’ Village in Abuja. She disclosed ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and the FMBN to actualize the dream.
“Our goal is simple: to provide decent, affordable homes for journalists and their families in the heart of the nation’s capital,” she said.
Ike also outlined other key initiatives of her administration, including the modernization of the NUJ Congress Hall, procurement of a union coastal bus, completion of the NUJ Pentagon Hall, and the establishment of a journalists’ welfare scheme.
“These projects are not luxuries; they are foundational investments in the future of journalism and in the well-being of those who power it,” she stressed, while calling on government stakeholders, media proprietors, and partners to support the union’s agenda.
