The Federal Government has dismissed reports that last weekend’s fire at the headquarters of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) in Abuja destroyed critical records or customer data, insisting that the bank remains fully operational despite the incident.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engineer Muttaqa Rabe Darma, gave the assurance on Tuesday during an inspection of the affected section of the bank’s headquarters, where he received a briefing from FMBN management and technical personnel on the cause and impact of the fire.
The minister said the blaze was contained to part of the second floor of the building and that preliminary investigations indicated it was caused by an electrical fault, although experts were still conducting a full investigation.
He stressed that no critical records or customer information were lost because the bank had successfully digitised its operations and backed up its data on the cloud.
“I’m convinced by the management that nothing is really lost, except the physical structure of the building,” Darma said. “I came to the computer room and they showed me the records saved on the cloud.”
He commended the bank’s digital transformation, describing its cloud-based backup system as instrumental in preserving vital operational records and ensuring uninterrupted services to customers. The minister assured Nigerians that the incident would not affect the bank’s operations.
“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,” he said.
Darma also warned that anyone found negligent after the ongoing investigation would be held accountable.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Badamasi Haiba, the minister directed the bank to strengthen its internal processes and institutional framework to improve operational efficiency and mortgage delivery.
He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding access to affordable housing, saying ongoing reforms at FMBN would support the Tinubu administration’s housing agenda.
“I assure Nigerians that the 100,000 housing units the President promised in four years will come to pass, and we will tell every single person exactly where those housing units are,” Darma said.
The minister disclosed that the government had tasked FMBN with increasing mortgage delivery as part of its reform programme.
“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 stated.
He added that the bank continues to provide uninterrupted services to contributors, mortgage customers and other stakeholders while working with relevant authorities to determine the exact cause of the fire.
A section of the FMBN headquarters was gutted by fire in the early hours of the weekend, with reports estimating property losses at over ₦500 million. However, the Federal Government insists no critical data or customer records were affected due to the bank’s digital backup infrastructure.
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<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>