Namibian Minister Commends Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Housing Programme, Applauds National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme   The Minister of Urban and Rural Development of the Republic of Namibia, Honourable Sankwasa James Sankwasa, has commended Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Housing Programme and applauded the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme, describing them as impactful policy instruments for expanding affordable housing and deepening homeownership.   Hon. Sankwasa made these remarks during a courtesy visit to the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, at his office in Abuja on Friday, December 12, 2025.   The Namibian Minister, whose portfolio oversees regional and local governance as well as housing development, noted that his Ministry plays a central role in tackling housing deficits and improving living conditions across Namibia.    He informed his host that he was in Nigeria to participate in the 2025 Africa Housing Awards and considered it important to engage the Ministry to exchange ideas and share experiences on affordable housing delivery.   Hon. Sankwasa explained that Namibia’s housing challenge is largely driven by the rapid growth of informal settlements. He stated that the Namibian Government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to address this, including free land titling for low-income citizens, structured identification of development zones, and the cultivation of strong partnerships with development partners.   According to him, development partners are deliberately integrated into Namibia’s national housing framework and budgetary planning, noting that while partners support housing construction, the Government of the Republic of Namibia assumes responsibility for the provision of critical infrastructure to make such developments sustainable and liveable.   Responding, the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, welcomed the Namibian delegation and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to South-South cooperation and knowledge-sharing in the housing and urban development sector.   Arc. Dangiwa highlighted the Renewed Hope Housing Programme as a flagship intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, designed to shift housing delivery in Nigeria from isolated projects to a coordinated national programme spanning Renewed Hope Cities, Renewed Hope Estates, Social Housing, urban renewal, and slum upgrading.   The Minister also underscored the strategic importance of the National Housing Fund (NHF) as a long-standing and sustainable housing finance mechanism that pools long-term funds to support affordable mortgages for Nigerian workers, while strengthening institutional delivery through agencies such as the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.   He assured the Namibian Minister of the Ministry’s readiness to share technical knowledge, policy frameworks, and implementation experience, noting that Africa’s housing challenge requires home-grown solutions, regional collaboration, and strong public-private partnerships. ...

Belgore Assures Improved Welfare for Staff, Calls for Additional Commitment To Deliver Presidential Priorities    *  Urges union leaders to engage, harmonize and present a unified demands for his action    The Permanent Secretary,  Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Shuaib Belgore has assured the staff of the ministry of improved welfare, and called for additional commitment to deliver the Presidential priorities and ministerial mandates of providing affordable housing for Nigerians    Dr Belgore spoke during his interactive meeting with the staff of the ministry, saying the purpose of the meeting was to understand the concerns of staff and address them accordingly.    " I am a workaholic, but I am encouraged because everyone here wants to work. The problem is job satisfaction and happiness at work. I assure you I will do everything to make your work and life easier,” he stated. ‎ On transportation difficulties, Dr. Belgore told the staff of the plan by the Ministry to procure new buses, and in the interim directed the Director of Human Resources Management to move two buses from the Lagos field office to the headquarters in Abuja to augment the existing fleet. ‎ ‎“I have looked into the bus issue and I know the buses have run down. That is why new buses are being added to the fleet. I am hopeful these will bring some respite,” he said. ‎On sports matters, he announced that funds had been sourced and released to enable the Ministry’s participation in the ongoing sports tournament in Adamawa state.  ‎ ‎Regarding working tools, Dr. Belgore revealed that the procurement process for computers, laptops, desktops, printers, and scanners has commenced, emphasizing that with the right tools, staff can perform optimally from any location. Accordingly, he disclosed that the ministry’s manpower challenge would soon be addressed, as the ministry is working to secure final approaval for recruitment of new officers to boost the Ministry’s workforce, which has significantly reduced due to the progressive retirement of staff from the Federal Civil Service. ‎ ‎" Upon assumtion of duty, i observed a drastic reduction in staff strength, necessitating the recruitment of new personnel. We have written to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, and the President, for special approval for recruitment due to our peculiar operational structure" he explained  ‎ ‎According to him, the ministry has a peculiar problem "because our field offices all over the country need staff to work there"  ‎ ‎Sharing insights into his work ethics, he noted that the commitment and positive attitude of staff motivate him to work harder, stressing that the major gaps are job satisfaction and workplace happiness, issues he pledged to address. ‎ ‎He appealed for continued patience, dedication, and trust from staff as management works to improve conditions, and clear the backloge of outstanding liabilities as soon as its practicable.  ‎Dr Belgore directed the union leaders to engage with the Directors of Human Resource, Finance and Accounts, and Reform Coordination & Service Improvement to harmonize their demands and present a unified resolution for his action. ‎ ‎“ Work together and come up with a consensus. Bring the resolution to me, and I assure you we will implement what is agreed. ‎I want you to enjoy coming to work. I will do my best to make this a conducive work environment,” he concluded  ‎ ‎Earlier, the Director of Human Resources Management, Ademola Ayodele, commended the Permanent Secretary for his exemplary leadership and commitment to creating an enabling environment for optimal staff performance.  He reaffirmed the management’s commitment to staff welfare through open communication, dialogue, and continuous engagement. ‎ ‎The Chairman of the Staff Union, Dr. Frank Ejiofor, also commended the Permanent Secretary for convening the meeting and stressed the need for continuous motivation, support, and welfare enhancement to boost productivity amid current economic realities.  He emphasized the importance of regular dialogue and improved staff remuneration to cushion prevailing hardships, saying that staff are going through difficult times with high cost of transportation and prolonged delay in the settlement of outstanding liabilities.  " We are suffering and crying in silence, and yet we are commited to give our best for the Ministry to deliver on it's mandates with the necessary motivation and support of the management" he remarked  ...

Falana Applauds FG's National Land Titling, Registration and Documentation Programme Kano, Nigeria:   Human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, has commended the Federal Government for the implementation of the Nigeria Land Titling, Registration and Documentation Programme (a.k.a Land4Growth), describing it as a bold, progressive and transformative intervention that will unlock economic growth, enforce property rights and protect citizens from exploitation.   Falana delivered his remarks today on Day 2 of the ongoing 30th Conference of Directors of Lands, holding in Kano, where he presented a detailed position paper on the reform of Nigeria’s land administration system.    He applauded the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development for championing a programme that targets increasing Nigeria’s formal land registration from less than 10% to 50% within a decade, in partnership with the World Bank.    According to him, a properly executed nationwide land titling programme will mark the beginning of a new wealth creation era for millions of Nigerians and put an end to decades of informal transactions, land disputes, corruption and the harassment of citizens by illicit land operators and omo onile cartels.    He stressed that over 90% of Nigerian land assets currently exist as ‘dead capital’, a condition that undermines mortgage access, hinders housing development, and limits economic participation.    Falana, however, urged the government to ensure that the Land4Growth remains inclusive, accessible and free of financial burden for citizens, especially vulnerable households in rural communities.    Accordingly, he called for a financing structure that places the responsibility of titling costs squarely on the government while ensuring legal enforcement and transparency at every stage of implementation.    He further noted that the success of the programme must go beyond digitization and urban pilots, warning that without parallel reforms in enforcement of the Land Use Act and protection of customary rights, digitization could simply “modernize the old inequities.”   He also advocated a stronger linkage between land titling and financing mechanisms under existing laws like the National Housing Fund and Federal Mortgage Bank frameworks, so that formal titles translate directly into real access to mortgages and mass housing delivery.    The Senior Advocate, concluded with a strong call to action to stakeholders across government institutions, financial institutions, developers, civil society and youth to treat the Land4Growth as a national development imperative, not just a technical exercise.   “ No country can develop without proper land documentation,” he declared, urging stakeholders to seize the moment to restructure Nigeria’s land sector into a transparent, equitable and economically empowering system for all citizens. ...