Month: July 2014

Shelter Afrique the Pan-African Housing Financier has advanced a USD8M [KSH704M] loan to the Kenya Medical Association for the construction of 160 housing units in Mombasa for exclusive sale to members of the association.

The loan which follows the approval by the Shelter Afrique board in March 2014 sees Shelter Afrique partner with the KMA yet again having already jointly financed two of the KMA’s housing projects.

Signing the loan documents, the Acting Managing Director, Mr. Yekini Olayanju remarked on the nature of Shelter Afrique’s relationship with the KMA stating that “with the KMA we are on familiar territory and it pleases us to be in a position yet again to strengthen our relationship with them. Shelter Afrique is always happy to play our part in developing the housing sector in our host country of Kenya, which till date is our strongest market and portfolio.”

Responding for the KMA the Chairman Dr. Hezra. Opere thanked Shelter Afrique for once again welcoming the KMA to the fold and stated that “the KMA is very happy to be considered once again for a facility and our track record speaks for itself; we can assure that we will honour the terms of the agreement and we want to encourage all our members to take advantage of this and to cross the divide to home ownership”. He continued that the KMA is committed to improving the lives of its members and will continue to find avenues to do so.

During her brief remarks the Secretary for the KMA, Dr. Josephine Omodi also thanked Shelter Afrique for the facility and joined the chairman in encouraging members to make the most of the association, she further commented on the importance of home ownership and how developing the real estate sector was necessary for any stable economy.

The signing ceremony which took place at Shelter Afrique’s HQ in Nairobi was witnessed by Senior Management, staff of Shelter Afrique and executive members of the KMA.

The signing also comes after concerted efforts by Shelter Afrique to reach out to Saccos, it will be recalled that the housing financier hosted Saccos to a business development cocktail in May to intimate them on their products and services. The signing also sees Shelter Afrique cap off a busy number of days; having signed a USD9M facility with the National Housing Construction Company of Uganda only a few days ago.

Shelter Afrique, the Pan-African finance institution exclusively supporting the development of housing affordable and the real estate sector in Africa signed a Agreement with the National housing and Construction Company.
The Agreement was signed by Mr. Yekini Olayanju the Acting Managing Director and Ambassador Anges Kalibbala the Chair of the NHCC, the delegation was was also comprised the Minister of Housing of Uganda, Honorable Daudi Migereko and the NHCC Managing Director, Mr. Felix Okoboi.
The objective of the USD9M loan is to provide financing for the NHCC to construct new and affordable housing units in Uganda for low-income individuals.
Yekini Olayanju, the Acting Managing Director of Shelter Afrique welcomed the NHCC and added “the project finance facility agreement between Shelter Afrique and NHCC Uganda is a step in the right direction and marks an important milestone for our two institutions, we are committed to support the government of Ugandan in rolling out housing PPP projects that will pave way for possible increase in capital subscription to ensure effective intervention for shelter Afrique in the markets.
On his part, the minister remarked “We are doing a good job but we have to do more and in good time. There is a lot of work to do, we need to do more, we also have to look at way to make the cost of housing materials cheaper, we have to find a way to become a part of the value-chain so we can control the cost”
Amb. Agnes Kalibbala thanked the Minister and the staff of Shelter Afrique. She said that she is glad to sign the agreement; she also said that the housing in Uganda is one of the biggest problems and she believes that the project will really help Ugandan people.

Felix Okoboi, the Managing Director of the NHCC also remarked that the signing is the culmination of a hard work, a very big step and the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial relationship.

About NHCC

National Housing and Construction Company Limited (NHCC) is a Ugandan public enterprise that was established by the National Housing Corporation Act of 1964. The act was later repealed by the 1974 Decree to form National Housing and Construction Corporation.