Dangiwa is Champion of Accessible Mortgage, Affordable Housing  - PEWAN    Property and Environment Writers Association of Nigeria (PEWAN), has confered an Award of Recognition on the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa as a consistent champion of accessible mortgage and affordable housing.   PEWAN is a sub group of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), which unites dedicated Journalists drawn from print, electronic and online media platforms covering Property, Real Estate, Works, Construction, and Environment sectors.    The occassion of the award under the Chairmanship of Bldr. Kunle Awobodu, former President, Nigerian Institute of Builders (NIOB), took place at the conference room of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, Thursday November 28th, 2024.   Reciepient of other categories of awards incude amongst others; Alhaji Shehu Osidi, Managing Director,  Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria; Odinayo Ojo, a Real Estate Professional; Sam Ogrih, MD/CEO, Delta Mega-Trend Nigeria Ltd and Arc. Gbolahan Owodunni Oki, General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA).    The 2024 PEWAN Annual Lecture and Awards has the themes;  " Resolving the Financial and Regulatory Dilemma to Achieve Renewed Hope Agenda on Housing" " The Role of FHA, Private Sector Operators in improving Housing Supply" " The place of Affordable Mortgage,  Building Materials in Catalysing Demand and Supply"   In a keynote address, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, who was the special guest at the conference, stated that the federal government was working towards closing the housing deficit and enhancing housing affordability for all Nigerians through the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme, other reforms and initiatives introduced by the Housing Ministry.   The Minister was represented at the conference by the Director Press and Public Relations of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Salisu Badamasi Haiba.      Dangiwa commended the Chairman of PEWAN and team for the bold initiative to advance the conversation around financing to construct affordable houses for Nigerians, as well as a regulatory framework that supports housing development.   He mentioned that 550, 000 housing units was needed annually to cope with the increasing population and address the housing deficit in Nigeria, which some sources put at over 18 million units, and requires an annual budget of N5.5 trillion at an average of N10 million per unit.   Accordingly, he said that, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development under his watch has recorded significant strides which include; the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme which aims to deliver 50,000 housing units under the first phase, having one city in each of the six (6) geopolitical zones and the FCT, and the Estates, one in each of the remaining 30 states.   He also explained that there are currently 14 active construction sites nationwide under the programme with a total of 10,112 housing units which comprises 250 housing units each in the Renewed Hope Estates, across 12 states.   The Minister disclosed that a significant number of the units were close to completion, expressing optimism that 1,000 units of the Renewed Hope City in Abuja would be commissioned in December by Mr. President, announcing access to purchase of the houses through the web portal: https://renewedhopehomes.fmhud.gov.ng.   He acknowledged the role of housing construction in job creation and poverty alleviation, stating that the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme has directly and indirectly generated over 252,800 jobs for Nigerians, including skilled and unskilled workers at an average of 25 jobs per house, thereby making a huge impact on the nation’s economy.   On financing for the projects, Arc. Dangiwa notified the participants of a range of creative and diversified funding strategies that the Ministry has adopted, which includes; the ₦50 billion 2023 Supplementary Budget, and an additional ₦27.2 billion allocated in the 2024 budget; a Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) arrangement for the Renewed Hope Cities which targets the high and middle income earners.   “While pursuing PPPs, the government must also increase funding for the Renewed Hope Housing Programme. As a Ministry, we have championed this advocacy, and there is now widespread recognition that the current N50 billion annual budget for housing is grossly inadequate compared to the N5.5 trillion required annually to address the housing deficit”;   “Therefore, we have engaged the National Assembly leadership and received their support for increasing the annual housing budget to a minimum of N500 billion, starting with the 2025 budget cycle”, Dangiwa explained.   Other funding strategies according to the Minister are: partnership with Shelter Afrique Development Bank for the financing of 5,000 housing units under phase one, representing an estimated investment of ₦50 billion, contributions from the Ministry’s Agencies Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and The Federal Housing Authority (FHA), as well as the National National Social Housing Fund (NSHF) which targets the Low and no income, vulnerable and underprivileged.   Furthermore in the area of regulations, the Minister said efforts were ongoing to strengthen the institutional and regulatory frameworks of the ministry and its agencies, also pointing out the work being done in the area of land administration to review the Land Use Act of 1978 which is now obsolete.   To this effect, he recalled the Four Reform Task Teams inaugurated earlier this year by the Ministry, to help provide the framework for driving the implementation of the Ministry’s plans, stating that the Land Reforms Task Team was charged to build a framework for effective land administration in Nigeria, as well as the proposed establishment of the National Land Commission to operationalize the Act.   Accordingly, Arc. Dangiwa brought the participants up to speed with the new framework for fair and equitable compensation rates for crops and economic trees, that ensures adequate recompense for persons affected by government projects, launched at the 2024 National Technical Development Forum on Land Administration.   Other initiatives outlined by the Minister includes the impending National Land Registration, Documentation and Titling Programme which together with state governments, aims to register, document, and title all land parcels in the country; as well as the enhancement of the Electronic Certificate of Occupancy (e-C of O) and Land Titling System for all federal government owned lands across Nigeria.   On the menace of building collapse in the Country, Dangiwa informed of the recently inaugurated Builders Disciplinary Tribunal in collaboration with the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) that would determine cases of infraction by members of the council and the built community, so as to ensure that built professionals adhere to global standards.   He further charged participants of the conference to engage fully, take the ideas and insights, and leave with the resolve to make tangible differences in housing delivery in Nigeria, while also assuring PEWAN of the Ministry’s keenness to ideas and collaborations that would help fix the systemic challenges and expand quality housing to all.   Earlier in her opening remarks, Chairman of PEWAN, Mrs Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie, said that the conference was organised to provide opportunity for experts and stakeholders in the real estate sector to chart pathways towards increasing housing provision in the country to bridge the housing deficit estimated at 28 million.   ...

Land Administration: We are committed to fixing gaps in the Housing Sector - Dangiwa The Minister of Housing and Urban Development Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to fixing the existent gaps and making a historic difference in the housing and urban landscape of the country. The Minister brought this to light in a meeting with the Technical Mission from the World Bank on Land Titling, Registration and Cadastre, at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja. He appreciated the Ministry’s longstanding partnership with the World Bank, noting that it was aimed at tackling systemic issues that have hindered effective land administration, management, governance, and urban development. Recalling a recent engagement of the Ministry with the World Bank Vice President for Infrastructure, Mr. Guangzhe Chen alongside his team, the Minister revealed some identified key focus areas where the Ministry needs the technical and financial support of the Bank to enable the commencement of realizing the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which is to streamline land administration and ensure effective urban governance in the country. According to the Minister, some of the priority areas are the Implementation of a National Land Registration and Titling Programme in partnership with State Governments, a move that would unlock over $300 billion dead capital tied up in undocumented land. He said the initiative would enable the registration, documentation, and titling of all land parcels, development and launch of a National Digital Land Information System (NDLIS), Increase the formalization of land transactions from less than 10% to over 50% within the next 10 years, as well as train and deploy technically competent land registration officers nationwide. Other priority areas for collaboration as stated by the Minister are the Implementation of the National Urban Development Policy which contains vital initiatives for improving the management of urban areas; and the area of development of a Framework to address systemic barriers along the housing value chain. Dangiwa expressed excitement in the massive institutional capacity of the Bank, as well as their technical expertise and knowledge garnered over decades from implementing similar interventions in countries around the world.   Accordingly, he conveyed his expectations that the Bank would bring in experts who have successfully led similar programs in other countries, particularly African Countries like Kenya, Sierra Leone, and South Africa, with similar contexts, and in collaboration with the Team at the Ministry, State governments, and other critical stakeholders, to design the implementation plan. While the Minister decried the unfortunate 10% statistics of registered and titled land in the country, as well as the low livability of urban centers, he expressed optimism that the challenge posed an opportunity to make a difference;  “Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President, we at the Ministry are committed to making this difference. With the support of the World Bank under this partnership, I believe we are on the verge of making history in Nigeria”, he said. Disclosing a timeline of November to commence work, as agreed in the Ministry’s last meeting with the World Bank in September, Dangiwa further expressed confidence that the technical sessions was a testament that the ball has been set rolling as planned. The minister in addition, sought a timeline for the Integrated Implementation Plan, as well as deliverables. Speaking earlier, Dr. Fuad Malkawi, Senior Urban Specialist and Task Team Leader of the Technical Mission of the World Bank on Land, said they were in the ministry to discuss strategic support for land governance in Nigeria. He noted that the objective of their visit was to identify challenges facing the country's land administration, evaluate existing initiatives, and outline strategic areas where the World Bank can provide support to drive sustainable development Dr. Malkawi as well stated that the World Bank was keenly interested in land-related issues, ranging from surveying and mapping, to property taxation and infrastructure.  He further informed that the bank's goal was to produce a flagship example in the African region while expressing optimism that with Nigeria's immense resources and ongoing development, Nigeria can set the standard for the rest of the continent to follow. Earlier in his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi welcomed the World Bank Technical Mission to the Ministry and the Country at large, informing the team of the Ministry’s great expectations of what they would do. He said his direct conversation with Dr. Fuad Malkawi was an attestation to the preparedness of the World Bank to intervene in the critical areas where the Ministry needs assistance. Ogunbiyi further assured the team that the Ministry would do all in their parts to support the intervention. ...

Meet the Press: Housing Minister Outlines Milestone Achievements Under Renewed Hope Agenda * Says President Tinubu's Transformative leadership enables ministry's focus on implementation  Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has  proudly outlined the ministry's remarkable achievements, transformative programs, and impactful reforms undertaken in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda, spearheaded by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. The Minister gave this outline when he made his presentation at a media  parley tagged "Meet the Press," which held at Nigeria's State House in Abuja on Sunday, 17th November, 2024. Commending President Tinubu's transformative leadership for demerging the ministry from the Federal Ministry of Works, Dangiwa said the move has enabled the ministry to focus its efforts on implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda in the housing sector. Furthermore, he stated that   the vision President Tinubu has for the housing ministry was that of prioritizing  housing as a vital element for improving the lives of Nigerians, creating jobs, and boosting economic growth.  Dangiwa informed that the  Ministry has embarked on various initiatives to address the housing deficit in Nigeria, which includes: Increasing Housing Supply. He emphasised that the  Ministry was  committed  to closing the national housing gap through the construction of 10,112 housing units via the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Program, with 14 active sites across the nation.     He explained  that under the Renewed Hope Estates, twelve estates are currently under construction, with each comprising 250 housing units in 12 states, totaling approximately 3,000 units while for the Renewed Hope Cities,  major urban projects are underway in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with 3,112 units, and additional developments in Kano and Lagos, among other states. Speaking on Job Creation and economic impact  of construction in the housing sector, particularly, the Renewed Hope Housing Project, the Minister noted that over 252,800 jobs have directly been created for Nigerians, significantly contributing to the nation’s economic landscape, affirming  skilled and unskilled workers are benefitting from robust employment opportunities, earning significantly above the national minimum wage. "At an average daily wage of ₦5,000, many workers are earning over ₦150,000 monthly, which is far above the national minimum wage," he said. Dangiwa, while informing  Nigerians  of the flexibility and seamlessness of applying for houses under the  Renewed Hope Cities and Estates, introduced the Renewed Hope  Online Housing Delivery Portal;www.renewedhopehomes.fmhud.gov.ng,  explaining it is a user-friendly platform  that has empowered over 47,605 Nigerians to explore, apply, and track their housing applications online, streamlining the homeownership process.  On options of home ownership available to interested buyers,  the Minister explained that  the  Ministry has introduced various affordable homeownership options through the National Housing Fund (NHF) and the Federal Mortgage Bank’s Rent-to-Own scheme, allowing many Nigerians access to affordable housing, Outright purchase for Nigerians who afford to pay upfront and Installmental  payment option with upto four instalments allowable for convenience.   "I want to use this medium to appeal to Nigerians in both formal and informal employment to join the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme to enable them benefit from this affordable homeownership options from the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria. They are the best in the market, "  He said.  To enable the ministry churn out affordable housing , Dangiwa informed Nigerians the ministry has opted  budgetary provisions, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), and international collaborations to diversify funding for housing projects, ensuring low and middle-income earners can access housing options. He said, " We are funding the 12 Renewed Hope Estates from the ₦50 billion 2023 Supplementary Budget. We also have an additional ₦27.2 billion allocated in the 2024 budget to complete their infrastructure fully while awaiting 2025 budget to expand the programme to cover more of the remaining states." Minister expressed that the ministry is committed to fulfilling the Renewed Hope Agenda by  ensuring every Nigerian has access to affordable and dignified housing. "Our efforts are not just about building houses; we are building a brighter future for generations to come," he added.  In addition, the Minister said that under the Public-Private Partnerships  arrangement,  the  ministry is constructing  3 Renewed Hope Cities in FCT, Lagos and Kano  and are being funded through a PPP that the Ministry signed with a consortium of developers for the delivery of 100,000 housing units nationwide.  "Under this strategy, the developers source land and construction finance while the government creates an enabling environment for them to deliver housing. So far, the Ministry has facilitated a N100billion Bankable Offtaker Guarantee by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) for the Karsana Renewed Hope City,"  the Minister noted. However, unlike housing  construction funded through the budgetary allocation which are  relatively cheap,  the PPP arrangement are usually costlier and cater for high and middle income earners because developers get their loan in double digits. "For example, a one-bedroom apartment at the Renewed Hope City in Karsana, built under a PPP model, costs about N22 million, whereas a similar unit under the Renewed Hope Estates, funded through budgetary allocations, costs approximately N8–9 million,"  Dangiwa maintained.  Accordingly, other sources of funding strategy include   collaborations with reputable organisations such as Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) for the financing of 5,000 housing units under phase one, representing an estimated investment of ₦50 billion.  The Minister informed the partnership was the first time the Ministry was  directly leveraging housing finance from ShafDB,.a Pan African institution where it is currently the largest shareholder, noting  ShafDB housing finance collaboration is also another Renewed Hope First that being  recorded at the Ministry. Similarly, Dangiwa mentioned that progress is being made in the National Social Housing in the establishment of fund to ensure that all Nigerians, regardless of income, have access to decent housing, noting, saying, aside from the budgetary funding, the ministry is engaging with  philantrophic organizations, Corporate Social Responsibility and voluntary donations from Nigerians.  " We also have some willing and capable potential investors in the NSHF who are working to meet the requirements of the Infrastructure Concessionary and Regulatory Commission (ICRC),"  the Minister remarked. As part of efforts to ensure effective Land Administration and not oblivion to  the crucial role of land governance, the  Minister disclosed that the Ministry has launched initiatives to improve land administration, including fair compensation frameworks and the National Land Registration Program. Also mentioned by the Minister was the plan to establish Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs aimed at reducing construction costs and stimulating job creation. He added that the ministry is in partnership with World Bank to develop National Digital Land System to ensure seamless land titling and registration across the country.  While emphasising President Tinubu's unwavering commitment to transforming the country's housing landscape, he noted that the ministry has achieved significant milestones within 14 months of its existence as a standalone ministry,  ensuring that housing and urban development receive the priority they rightly deserve. The Minister  later  extended invitation to all Nigerians and stakeholders to join in the effort towards a more prosperous Nigeria by participating in the National Housing Fund and exploring the available affordable housing options. ...