DANGIWA REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING QUANTITY SURVEYORS REGISTRATION BOARD    * says board's expertise in cost control, contract administration, procurement auditing, more critical than ever Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa has reaffirmed the commitment of the Ministry to supporting the Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN,) in order to effectively fulfill its statutory functions.   The Minister made this known, Tuesday, 15th April, 2025, when the members of the Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN), paid him a courtesy visit at the Ministry’s Headquarters, in Abuja.   He acknowledged the role of the QSRBN in the collective efforts to reposition Nigeria’s housing and construction sector for greater efficiency, accountability, and professional excellence, saying that the quantity surveying profession was essential to ensuring cost transparency, value for money, and fiscal discipline in the execution of construction projects.    “At a time when we are pushing aggressively to deliver on the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, your expertise in cost control, contract administration, and procurement auditing is more critical than ever”, he explained.   While commending the Board for its professionalism, Dangiwa urged them to take their regulatory oversight role seriously by ensuring proper training and licensing of professionals to practice ethically, stating that it was a sure way of safeguarding the integrity of the profession and supporting the government’s agenda of eliminating waste, corruption, and substandard practices in the built environment.   The Minister emphasized on the role of the QSRBN in contributing to the sector's development and providing procurement standards, cost estimating methodologies, and benchmarking practices that align with international best practices.   “We will also count on your support in strengthening quality assurance and control on our project sites nationwide, particularly under the Renewed Hope Housing Programme, the National Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrade Programme, and the Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs we are working to establish across the six geopolitical zones”, he added.   Arc. Dangiwa further encouraged the Board to work closely with the ministry to deepen collaboration, transparency and accountability in housing delivery.   On concerns raised by the President of the QSRBN, the Minister gave the assurance that the issues around funding for the Board as well as recovering their hijacked plots of land would be checked and resolved.   Accordingly, on the issue of establishing a Building and Engineering Construction Commission under the oversight of the Ministry, Arc. Dangiwa as well promised that it would be looked into.   Speaking earlier, the President of the Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN), QS. Obafemi Onashile, brought the Minister up to speed with the achievements of the Board since it’s inauguration by the Minister, such as registration of qualified quantity surveyors, organizing of 2024 annual assembly for registered Quantity Surveyors, speedy accreditation of Quantity Surveyor programs in Universities and Polytechnics, among others.   He appealed for the Minister’s intervention on some challenges facing the board which includes funding, possession of the Board’s allocated plots of land, lack of coordination and cohesion in the construction industry, awaiting of the Minister’s signature for the update of the regulation of the QSRBN, and more.   QS. Onashile further gave some recommendations for the construction sector such as; the establishment of a Building and Engineering Construction Commission under the Housing Ministry for effective regulation of the industry, the need for stricter controls over buildings and structures higher than nine meters.   Others are the need to recognize construction health, safety, and environment as an independent qualification, complete professional documentation of all high strictures, need for government construction contracts to have adjudication as the most straightforward route for resolving disputes, among others.   The QSRBN President also invited the Honourable Minister  for the Board’s 2025 annual QS assembly coming up on the 14th and 15th of May, 2025, as the chairman and guest of honour to declare the Assembly open.   Also present during the courtesy visit, the President of the Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), QS. Nzekwe Kene Christopher, presented some reform recommendations that would enhance the Nigerian construction industry.    The recommendations include enacting a robust legal framework for construction contracts and robust implementation, establishing specialized construction courts, reviewing of the Federal Housing Authority law for affordable housing, and creating a Construction Industry Development Board, among others.   QS. Nzekwe also emphasized on the need for a collaborative partnership with the Ministry to achieve these goals.   A notable part of the meeting was the presentation of the NIQRS newsletter to the Minister. ...

FG To Launch Renewed Hope Social Housing Programme    * 100 housing units each in 774 LGAs   * Programme third component of broader Renewed Hope Housing initiative of President Tinubu's administration    *  NSHP reflects President's commitment in ensuring even the most vulnerable Nigerian owns a livable home -  Dangiwa    The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has revealed that the much- talked about Renewed Hope Social Housing Programme will soon be launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of initiatives to address the housing needs of Nigerians, regardless of class or income level.   The Minister made this known while receiving a delegation from Creative Sphere Limited at the Ministry’s headquarters in Mabushi on Wednesday, April 8, 2025.   Arc. Dangiwa explained that the Renewed Hope Social Housing Programme is designed to provide homes for low-income earners, the unemployed, vulnerable groups, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), covering both the formal and informal sectors.   In addition, the Federal Government plans to construct 100 housing units in each of the 774 local government areas across the country, amounting to a total of 77,400 units. The construction is expected to be completed within one year from the date of launch.   Describing the programme as visionary, the Minister noted that it reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian has access to decent housing, saying it underscores his passion for a better Nigeria, where even the most vulnerable can own a livable home.   Arc. Dangiwa further disclosed that the programme will be funded through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund (RHIDF).   On the structure of the housing estates, he stated, “Each estate will be equipped with auxiliary facilities such as recreational areas, a primary school, a police outpost, a clinic, and a shopping mall.”   Regarding the allocation of the houses, the Minister explained that 80% of the houses will be sold to Nigerians living in the local government areas who earn a living wage,  adding that interested individuals will be required to contribute one-third of their monthly income.    “Anyone earning as low as N30,000 per month will be able to purchase a house, as they will only need to pay N10,000 monthly, which is one-third of their earnings. Similarly, someone earning N90,000 will pay N30,000.” he explained.    According to the minister, the remaining 20% of the housing units will be allocated free of charge to citizens with low or no income, such as widows, orphans, and others identified as vulnerable in society.   Arc. Dangiwa also highlighted that the Renewed Hope Social Housing Programme is the third component of the broader Renewed Hope Housing initiative, which includes the Renewed Hope Housing Estates and Renewed Hope Cities, bringing the total to three components.   He stated that the Renewed Hope Cities are being developed in seven locations: the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and one city in each of the six geopolitical zones—Rivers (South-South), Lagos (South-West), Enugu (South-East), Nasarawa (North-Central), Kano (North-West), and Maiduguri (North-East). These projects are under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.   Under the Renewed Hope Estates initiative, the Federal Government plans to build 250 housing units in each of the 30 state capitals across Nigeria.    “We are constructing 250 units, taking two capital cities from each geopolitical zone, making a total of twelve. These are funded through the Federal budget, and this year, we intend to expand further,” he said.   In response to a partnership proposal for the upcoming Real Estate Innovation and Investment Carnival by Creative Sphere Limited, the Minister lauded the initiative.    He noted that the carnival, roadshow, and award night are excellent avenues to promote the housing sector and enhance the visibility of the Ministry's programmes.   Earlier in the meeting, Chairman of Creative Sphere Limited, Mr. Monday Ogedengbe, told the Minister that their visit was to seek collaboration with the Ministry for the upcoming event scheduled for later this year. He noted that Creative Sphere aims to highlight the role of real estate in national economic growth by bringing a carnival-style awareness campaign to the sector, both nationally and internationally.   Ogedengbe outlined key initiatives to be launched, including the Association of Women in Real Estate, Youth Access to Homes, and a Diaspora Investment Desk, emphasizing that collaboration with the Ministry would boost public acceptance.   Also present at the meeting was Queen Fatima Abubakar Zara, the crowned Queen of Real Estate and an Estate Surveyor, who received her title on February 14, 2025.   ...

HOUSING MINISTRY LAUNCHES MAIDEN EDITION OF SERVICE CHARTER   *Service Charter a symbol of new beginning- Minister Dangiwa In line with the mandate of the SERVICOM office to promote effective and efficient service delivery in public Institutions through service charters, the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has officially launched the maiden edition of its Service Charter, today the 9th of April, 2025.   Service Charter is a document that formally outlines the commitment of the Ministry to delivering high quality Service to its customers and related matters in the discharge of its mandate.   In his remarks at the launch, the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, noted that the initiative was part of a wider Civil Service transformation programme aimed at promoting greater commitment, productivity, innovation, and accountability across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Emphasizing on the importance of the Civil Service in driving government policies, the Minister stated that the success or failure of the policies ultimately rests on the shoulders of the civil servants who are tasked with the implementation, further pointing out the need for a competent, efficient, and forward-thinking Civil Service.   He informed that Charter details the standards of service that every department, unit, and staff of the Ministry must uphold, to ensure transparency, responsiveness and accountability in the discharge of duties.   Arc. Dangiwa appealed to all staff to see their roles not just as jobs, but as national service; “We are building a Ministry that is efficient, responsive, and people oriented. We cannot do this without your full cooperation, professionalism, and integrity”, he said.   While acknowledging the challenges faced by civil servants, such as poor remuneration and workplace constraints, he assured of the President’s commitment to ensuring fair and decent wages for their labour and sacrifice.   Accordingly, the Minister encouraged staff to give their best in service to the country, as well as to the service charter as a culture that guides daily operations and interactions with citizens and stakeholders.   Arc. Dangiwa further Highlighted the importance of timely service delivery, with a commitment on behalf of the Ministry, to respond to emails within 14 days of receipt and maintain a 72-hour waiting time for feedback.   “As we launch this Service Charter today, let it be a symbol of a new beginning, a Ministry where transparency is standard, service is timely, responsibilities are clear, and performance is measured”, he charged.   In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, said that the Service Charter represented the Ministry’s unwavering dedication to providing exceptional services; “This document is a testament to our commitment to transparent, accountable, and efficient service delivery. It outlines our vision, mission, and key deliverables, serving as both a guide and a pledge to our stakeholders,” he added.   Dr. Belgore disclosed that to ensure the effective implementation of the Charter, the Ministry has developed an actionable plan, which includes robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track progress and impact.   Earlier in her keynote address, the National Coordinator of SERVICOM,  Mrs. Nnenna Akajemeli, informed that a Service Charter is an MDA’s operational and performance enhancement tool that enshrines the trust between service providers and service takers, containing realistic and measurable standards in specific key services and standards of the MDA.   She highlighted some benefits of the Charter to include; indication of commitment at highest level, raising of expectations among customers and staff, guiding of the activities of service provision and delivery, among others.   To achieve implementation of the Service Charter, the Mrs. Akajemeli spoke on the importance of ensuring wide publicity of the Charter amongst staff and different customer groups, training and sensitizing members of the SERVICOM Unit and frontline staff at all levels, on the concept and on their roles and responsibilities in the implementation of the Charter; to mention a few.   The Servicom coordinator, further advised that Management of the Ministry gives more support to the SERVICOM Unit by ensuring that service delivery gaps are rectified, recommendations are implemented, reported upon, published and reviewed for continuous improvement of services. Also in her remarks, the Director in charge of the department of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, Mrs. O.I. Philips, described the Service Charter as a comprehensive guide that details the roles and services of the Ministry’s departments, units, and agencies; “This maiden edition is aimed at educating staff, customers, and stakeholders on the Ministry’s operations and commitment to service excellence,” she said.   She emphasized on the role of SERVICOM, as a bridge between the Ministry and the public, ensuring that services are people-centered and continuously improved upon; “It will coordinate the development, review, and dissemination of service charters across the Ministry and its agencies,” she added.   The launch of the Service Charter marks a significant milestone in the Ministry’s reform agenda, and is expected to drive a new era of service delivery and excellence across the housing sector.   Highlight of the event was the official unveiling of the maiden edition of the Service Charter for the Ministry, by the Servicom National Coordinator and the top management of the Ministry. ...