The federal government on Tuesday assured Nigerians that no customer records or critical operational data were lost in the fire incident that affected a section of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) headquarters in Abuja, declaring that the Bank remains fully operational despite the damage.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaqa Rabe Darma, gave the assurance after inspecting the affected section of the Bank’s headquarters, where he received a comprehensive briefing from the management and technical team on the cause of the incident, the extent of damage and measures put in place to sustain uninterrupted operations.
The fire, which occurred on Saturday, August 1, was contained to a section of the second floor of the building. Preliminary findings, according to the Minister, indicate that the blaze was most likely triggered by an electrical fault, although investigations by relevant authorities are still ongoing.
Darma, however, warned that anyone found negligent after the conclusion of the investigations would face appropriate sanctions.
The minister praised FMBN’s digital transformation programme, describing the Bank’s cloud-based backup system as instrumental in protecting sensitive customer information and institutional records from the fire.
“I’m convinced by the management that nothing is really lost except the physical structure of the building. I came to the computer room and they showed me the records saved on the cloud,” he said.
He explained that the Bank had successfully digitised its operations, ensuring that while some physical documents were destroyed, all critical records remained intact and accessible.
“They have actually digitised their entire system, and the fire consumed only the paperwork that was there. I assure Nigerians that they should continue to patronise the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria,” the minister stated.
Reaffirming the Tinubu administration’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit, Darma said ongoing reforms within the Bank would strengthen mortgage financing and accelerate the delivery of affordable housing nationwide.
He reiterated the federal government’s determination to fulfil President Bola Tinubu’s pledge of delivering 100,000 housing units within four years.
The minister further disclosed that the federal government had directed the Bank to overhaul its internal systems and institutional framework to improve efficiency and significantly expand access to mortgage financing.
“As part of the policy reformulation of the Bank, we have asked FMBN to look into its internal arrangements and improve mortgage access to about 2,000 mortgages in a year,” he said.
FMBN management assured that the Bank continues to provide uninterrupted services to contributors, mortgage customers and other stakeholders while collaborating with relevant authorities investigating the cause of the fire.
The inspection comes barely days after the Bank reassured customers that normal operations had continued seamlessly following the incident, citing its robust digital infrastructure as a key factor in preventing disruption to banking and mortgage services.
