A Katherine-based Aboriginal building enterprise has won a near $20 million housing tender for the Territory's remote east.

Binjari Community Aboriginal Corporation will build and upgrade homes in two Arnhem Land communities, Ngukurr and Rittarangu (also known as Urapunga) over a five-year period as part of the $19.3 million project.

Binjari Community Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Debra Aloisi said securing the government contract was critical for the future of the self-funded organisation.

"We don't get any funding from any government department," she said.

"Binjari tenders for building contracts like the one we've just won, and that's our revenue.

The Binjari Community Aboriginal Corporation has completed 19 remote housing projects throughout the Territory. Image: Binjari Community Aboriginal Corporation.

"If we don't do that, Binjari shuts down."

The deal means Binjari is contracted to complete any building or refurbishing of houses in Ngukurr and Rittarangu, four hours east of Binjari.

Ms Aloisi said Binjari would also retrofit extra rooms on to existing houses in the remote communities.

"There's another construction program called room to breathe," she said.

"Say a house has got three bedrooms, but it's overcrowded.

"It's easier to put another bedroom on rather than build a new house."

Proir to signing the Ngukurr and Rittarangu contract, Binjari has successfully tendered for 19 remote Aboriginal housing programs in the past, with more than 50 per cent of their employee base being First Nations Australians.

Binjari also seeks to employ Indigenous people in the remote Aboriginal communities

Binjari aims to employ Indigenous Australians in all remote communities where contracts are completed. Image: Northern Territory Government.

where they complete work, which has positive flow-on effects for remote communities.

Ms Aloisi said a group of young people had been identified at Ngukurr and Rittarangu who wanted to get into the building industry.

"We'll employ them for 12 months, make sure that they're reliable, that they turn up all the time and mentor them the whole time," she said.

"After that 12 months because we've got an opportunity to do four more years of guaranteed work in the area, I'll be quite happy to offer those young local residents and apprenticeship as well."

"If Binjari leaves a community with a qualified carpenter there and a qualified painter and decorator then the repairs and maintenance to those buildings that we put up or we renovate can be done by the community themselves."

The Northern Territory Government previously completed a subdivision in Ngukurr in 2019. Image: Northern Territory Government.

NT Housing and Homelands Minister Selena Uibo said both communities had played active roles in the housing program.

"The Territory's first Local Decision Making agreement was signed at Ngukurr, so community members have been actively involved in the delivery of services for some time now, and have helped to plan and design these housing works," she said.

"This is also fantastic news for the people of Rittarangu who are looking forward to continuing to be a part of building and improving homes in their community.

"The contract gives locals job surety and the opportunity to complete certifications and apprenticeships, which is important because our remote housing program is part of the Territory Labor Government's holistic approach to building the capacity of communities such as Ngukurr and Rittarangu."

In the first half of 2022, the Territory Labor Government awarded 38 contracts worth more than $153 million as part of its $2.2 billion investment in remote housing.