Women inclusion in real estate business received a major boost recently as Middlechase Properties Limited, a real estate development subsidiary of Arkbridge Integrated Limited, launched a new product aimed to drive that inclusion.
The new product, known as Omalicha, is an initiative which, the company says, derives from Igbo language and targets women from all tribes into real estate investment where they can acquire property and break the barriers to their full participation in the sector.
Adeegbe Yemisi, director admin at Middlechase, described Omalicha as a smart, beautiful and elegant woman who knows her worth and place in the society, adding that the Omalicha initiative was meant to empower women both in Nigeria and all over the world.
Yemisi who spoke at a press conference held at Fairfield Estate, one of Middlechase’s real estate schemes located in the Ajah area of Lagos, said that the product allows women, irrespective of their tribe, to participate in income generating properties for cashflow.
“We are celebrating Omalicha today and in the next two years we hope to celebrate the involvement of a lot more women as homeowners and cash generating personalities,” she said.
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Ezinne Ezeani, chief executive officer of SheCan Nigeria, noted that “there is a lot of bias and barriers for women in terms of owning properties in Nigeria. Looking back to where we are coming from and the fact that today’s women are more enlightened, it is an amazing opportunity for people, especially women, to own property and leave a legacy for themselves, families and generations.”
She assured that the new product powered by Middlechase would allow low, middle and high income women to own properties seamlessly because it gives a payment plan that allows them to pay over a long period of time.
Junadia Edim, the Arkbridge Group CEO, said that apart from teaching women the importance of real estate investment, Omalicha would also enable women to create a support system for one another and contribute to the growth of the economy.
“Omalicha is not attributed to any tribe. It simply means a strong woman who wants to be independent. Middlechase has come up with this product which is the first of its kind in the history of real estate where we are creating a product specifically for a particular gender,” she said, hoping that it would go a long way to educate them on how to invest and make money in real estate.
On the payment plan for the property, she disclosed that regardless of income class, the product allows women to own properties with as low as N500,000 to N100,000 000. She therefore encouraged women to invest and be part of real estate development in the society and grab the opportunity to acquire properties seamlessly.
Gideon Eyor, the company’s Sales Representative, stressed the need for women to participate fully in the acquisition of properties as the men dominate the sector.
“Before now, women had been relegated and were always at the back end. What we are offering is more like an empowerment for women where they can come out and own properties on their own rather than having the male take the lead. It’s another opportunity for them to come out whether as high net individuals or lower class,” Eyor advised.
He added that it was a huge opportunity for men too to collaborate with their wives, children, and mothers to acquire properties in their names as the package was targeted at women from different tribes.
“Omalicha is for investment purposes and we offer a chance where buyers can collaborate to buy flats and the payment is flexible as it gives a period of 36 months to complete,” he said.
