Minister of Housing and Urban Development Muttaqha Rabe Darma has assured Nigerians that critical customer information and operational records were not lost in the fire at the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria headquarters.
Darma gave the assurance on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, after inspecting the damaged section of the bank’s office in Abuja and receiving a briefing from its management and technical personnel.
Fire Restricted to Part of Second Floor
The incident occurred shortly after 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, and affected parts of the building’s second floor in Abuja’s Central Business District.
Teams from the Federal Fire Service and the Federal Capital Territory Fire Service responded and brought the blaze under control. No injuries were recorded.
The minister said preliminary findings suggested that an electrical fault may have caused the incident.
He emphasised, however, that the investigation had not been completed and that relevant technical experts were still working to determine the precise cause.
Cloud System Protects Customer Information
Darma said FMBN’s transition to digital record-keeping prevented the loss of important mortgage and customer documents.
According to the minister, the bank stored copies of its critical records through a cloud-based backup system, making it possible for officials to retrieve and reproduce documents affected in physical form.
During the inspection, the minister requested samples of deeds of assignment and other documents to confirm that they remained accessible electronically.
He said bank officials successfully retrieved the requested records, giving him confidence that the fire had damaged paperwork and parts of the building but not the underlying customer information.
FMBN Remains Fully Operational
The housing minister also assured National Housing Fund contributors, mortgage customers and other stakeholders that FMBN’s services had not been suspended.
He encouraged Nigerians to continue conducting business with the institution, maintaining that its essential systems and customer information remained available after the incident.
FMBN’s initial statement said emergency teams contained the fire and that an assessment of the damage was underway. The bank thanked the police and fire services for their rapid response.
Investigation Into Cause Continues
Although the initial assessment pointed to a possible electrical fault, Darma said the government would wait for the outcome of the technical investigation before reaching a final conclusion.
He added that any individual found to have neglected assigned safety or maintenance responsibilities could face appropriate action after the investigation.
The inquiry is expected to examine the source of the fire, the condition of the affected electrical systems and the effectiveness of existing safety procedures within the building.
Digital Transformation Draws Praise
Darma praised the mortgage bank for digitising its records and maintaining off-site backup arrangements.
The incident, he said, demonstrated the importance of digital transformation and business-continuity planning within public institutions.
Cloud backups allow organisations to recover information even when physical files, computers or office facilities are damaged by fire or another emergency.
FMBN has also been developing a National Mortgage Registry intended to serve as a central digital repository for mortgage transactions across Nigeria. The bank said in July that the application was ready for deployment while data collection and validation continued.
Minister Reaffirms Housing Commitment
Darma used the inspection to restate the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding affordable housing and mortgage access.
He said reforms being implemented at FMBN were intended to improve institutional efficiency and strengthen the delivery of housing finance.
The minister maintained that the administration would pursue President Bola Tinubu’s target of delivering 100,000 housing units during its four-year tenure.
The wider Renewed Hope housing programme includes developments in Abuja, Lagos and several states, with public-private partnerships playing a significant role in financing construction.
FMBN Targeted to Approve More Mortgages
The Federal Government has also directed FMBN to review its internal systems and expand the number of mortgage loans granted annually.
Under the reform plan, the bank is expected to work towards approving at least 2,000 mortgages each year while improving access to housing finance for eligible Nigerians.
The reforms include a higher mortgage-loan ceiling and measures aimed at helping National Housing Fund contributors meet the equity requirements for home ownership.
Darma said strengthening FMBN’s operations would remain an important part of the government’s efforts to improve housing affordability.
Customers Await Final Fire Report
While the government has confirmed that digital records remain intact, a comprehensive report on the extent of the structural and material damage has not yet been released.
The completed investigation is expected to clarify the cause of the fire and identify any safety improvements needed at the headquarters.
For now, FMBN customers have been assured that their mortgage records and other critical information remain retrievable and that the bank continues to operate.
