Iraq to launch million residential plots initiative in September

The Iraqi government is set to launch a digital platform on September 1 to begin applications for the ‘million residential plots’ initiative. This project, spearheaded by Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, aims to distribute one million land plots across 15 provinces to address a housing shortage estimated at over 3 million units.

To qualify, applicants must not have previously owned any land or residential units. The government is working with the private sector to ensure the distributed plots are serviced with essential infrastructure. Currently, over 250,000 plots have been prepared for the first phase of the rollout.

While the land distribution is a priority, the Ministry of Construction, Housing, Municipalities and Public Works noted that integrating these plots with housing loans remains under study. Officials indicated that current housing finance through the Iraq Housing Fund and the Real Estate Bank is insufficient to meet demand, and further government support and simplified procedures are needed to facilitate affordable long-term loans for citizens.