Keynote Address by the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Housing & Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, at the 12th Meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development (NCLHUD) Holding from 13th - 17th November 2023
    
PROTOCOL

Your Excellency, the President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR
Your Excellency, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Kashim Shettima Mustapha, GCON,
The Hon. Minister of State, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Alhaji Tijjani Gwarzo
Your Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani
Permanent Secretary, Federal Minister of Works and Housing
Heads of Parastatals and Agencies,
Distinguished Commissioners
Housing industry Stakeholders
Members of Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organizations,
The Media and members of the Press,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

SPEECH

1.    It is my pleasure to welcome the Distinguished Members of the Council and other dignitaries to the 12th Edition of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development with the theme: “Harnessing Local and International Credit Schemes as a Panacea for Affordable Housing Infrastructure Development Under the “Renewed Hope Agenda”.

2.    This is my first attendance at the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development as the Minister of Housing and Urban Development. Before now I attended it for several years as the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN). So, I understand all the issues that are of concern to the Council and requiring urgent attention.  

3.    These challenges include the inefficiencies in our land administration processes, infrastructure deficit, high construction costs and weak household demand. Others are inadequate access to affordable housing financing options, which I believe informed the theme of this year’s Council.

4.    Today, as you are all aware, we have a stand-alone Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. The last time we had this independence was decades ago, so we do not take it for granted. 

 
5.    By this demerger, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has shown that housing is a top priority for his government, because of its unique potential to catalyze economic growth, create jobs and lift millions out of poverty.

6.    The implication is that Mr. President now expects action and results. So as Commissioners of Housing and critical stakeholders in the housing delivery value chain at both national and sub-national levels, we must all up our game. We must work harder to break all the barriers that have mitigated against the progress of the sector.  

7.    At the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, we are committed to providing the right leadership as the focal driver of His Excellency’s bold vision for the housing sector. Indeed, we are charting a progressive, proactive, and knowledge-based approach to address these by thinking out of the box.

8.    We are exploring creative solutions and will implement necessary reforms so that we can rewrite the story of housing and urban development in our dear country. I urge you all to join me so that when the story of the transformation of the sector is written, you will be happy to have contributed your patriotic quota.

9.    Before I proceed, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani for accepting to host this 12th Meeting of the Council in Kaduna State at such a brief notice.  We sincerely thank you for your support and understanding. We also want to appreciate the warm reception and the hospitality that the good people of Kaduna State have accorded us all.

10.    I must also say it is a divine coincidence that this Council Meeting is holding in Kaduna State after being planned for another state. This is because Kaduna State has demonstrated exemplary leadership in housing development. The State stands as a good example of how we should approach the challenges in the housing sector.

11.    In June 2017, Kaduna State became one of the first states in the country to adopt and pass into law the Model Mortgage Foreclosure Law (MMFL). Kaduna State now has a functional State Mortgage and Foreclosure Authority that coordinates   and   promotes   housing investments   and   mortgage   development activities as stipulated in the foreclosure law.

12.    On the supply side, Kaduna State has implemented reforms in land administration, titling and registration and offered fiscal incentives, among others. They have digitized land administration through the Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS), provided land for willing developers to help expand the housing stock and even began direct construction of low-medium income housing by their Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. On the demand side, they have developed single-digit interest rate mortgage arrangements with Sterling Bank, FHA Mortgage Bank and NMRC. The mortgage arrangement with Sterling Bank has enabled the buyers of non-essential government residential assets, more than 80 percent of whom are civil servants, to secure mortgage loans to pay for the properties which were sold at open market value.     

13.    As a result, the revenue generation for the State has risen tremendously at over 44billion per annum. The State has been in the top 10 revenue generating States in Nigeria and first among the Northern States.

14.    Kaduna has made all this possible despite the lack of amendments to the Land Use Act. It is therefore no wonder that the state has become a major source of foreign direct investment.

15.    I am particularly impressed by the State’s Qatar Sanabil Project, which aims to deliver about 500,000 housing units.  This is a laudable feat and testament to the business-friendly environment of Kaduna State that is worthy of emulation.

16.    As I mentioned earlier, Housing is one of the critical sectors earmarked for focus under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.  It is tied to Four (4) of the Eight (8) key presidential priorities of the current government namely, Economic growth and Job creation, Access to capital, social inclusion or Inclusivity and Ending poverty.  These Four presidential priorities of Government underline the priorities of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development over the next 4 years through the following efforts:

a.    Reform of Federal Housing Institutions such as the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Family Home Funds (FHF) and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to enhance efficiency and capacity.

b.    Establishment of a National Social Housing Fund to cater to the housing needs of the NO INCOME, homeless and vulnerable groups. .

c.    Review of the Land Use Act (1978) to streamline access to land.

d.    Establishment of a robust Mortgage Registry to facilitate property transactions and increased home ownership;

e.    Increasing housing supply

f.    Establishment of private sector-led local building materials manufacturing clusters in each geopolitical zone of the country.

g.    Development of fiscal incentives for private Investors to manufacture local building component.

17.    The achievement of these targets would require an “All of Government” Approach and Actions that foster continuous engagement between Governments at all levels along with the private sector and relevant International Organizations operating in the Housing sector. This approach is particularly required because land is a serious impediment to the expansive construction of mass, social and affordable housing in Nigeria.  Accordingly, the contribution of State Governments who are critical Stakeholders, being the custodian of land in line with the Constitution and the current Land Use Act, is vital.

18.    As the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, I have taken Mr. President’s vision and am determined to actualize it.  Our aim at the Ministry is to implement the most historic housing and urban sector reforms the country has ever witnessed. We want to drive through initiatives that will create an enabling environment for easier, safer, and profitable private sector investments in the sectors.

19.    A notable part of our housing sector reforms is land reforms. What we envision is a streamlined land administration that cuts through the bureaucratic bottlenecks and systemic inefficiencies to ensure cost effective and efficient access to land for both individuals and investors in our country.

20.    Currently, we have a situation where the Land Use Act, which was enacted in 1978 has no complementary institution set up alongside it to provide the necessary framework, guidelines, and regulations for operationalizing it. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, we aim to fix this systemic anomaly. We are working to establish a National Land Commission. Part of their work will be to outline clear implementation guidelines for the Land Use Act to chart a new path of effective land administration in the country.

21.    Only recently, I invited members of the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reforms (PTCLR) to the Ministry, and I must say that the work they have done over the past 14 years is comprehensive and commendable. We have set up an Internal Committee to review their submissions for inclusion in our land reforms strategy.

22.    Despite challenges, I believe there is hope for a significant turnaround for the Housing and Urban Development sector in Nigeria. My confidence lies in the fact that we have a President who is a visionary, and a gamechanger. He has shown that he has the political will to back his bold vision of providing affordable and quality housing for all.

23.    With Mr. President’s support, we are set to commence Phase 1 of the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates and Slum Upgrading Programme nationwide before the end of this year.  The Phase 1 of the project is targeted to deliver 34,500 housing units consisting of 1, 2 and 3-bedroom affordable multi-level flats and bungalows for low-income earners, as well as high-end detached bungalows, terraces and duplexes for high income earners in Thirty (30) States of the Federation including, Kano, Lagos, Rivers, Borno, Enugu, Nasarawa, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

24.    To ensure affordability for Nigerians we have already mapped out the following options. These include Rent-to-Own, Public Rental, Mortgage Loans, and where applicable, outright sale.  

25.    With regards to the Slum Upgrading Programme, the Ministry plans to upgrade a total of 26 slums in the Six (6) regions of the country, including the Federal Capital Territory. This project would ensure the provision of key infrastructure and ancillary services including access roads, water supply, solar streetlight, drainages, sanitation and waste management services etc., that would improve the living standards of the slum residents in the project sites and the urban poor in general.

26.    In the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development the issue of financing housing development and urban infrastructure remains priority.  Some of these innovative financing and credit-driven approaches, which could be exploited to its fullest potential include:

a.    Increasing the adoption of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and similar Institutional arrangements.
b.    Encouraging the growth of various Credit schemes, Housing Cooperatives and Rent-To-Own Schemes;
c.    Increasing access to Multilateral/Bilateral, Pension Funds and Capital Market funding sources.
d.    Expanding housing construction finance from Federal and State Housing Agencies.

27.    Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to conclude by encouraging each one of you to see yourselves as the visionaries and gamechangers of land administration in your various states. As you aim to attract financing to your various states, we cannot do this effectively if we do not have a streamlined land administration system. It will not be possible if we do not have a model mortgage foreclosure law passed and operational in your state. Experts agree that it is not possible to have sustainable economic growth without land reforms.

28.    So, my charge for all of you as Commissioners of Housing is that you should go back to your States as Senior Advocates of Land Reforms (SALRS). Impress on your State Governments to toe the line that Kaduna and some states such as Ekiti, Nasarawa, Lagos have toed by passing the Model Mortgage Foreclosure, implementing land titling and property registration using GIS even as we work to review the Land Use Act of 1978.

29.    Let me assure you all that the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development would continue to work closely with Members of the Senate and House Committees on Lands, Housing and Urban Development to ensure successful passage and review of the laws required to ensure speedy realization of all the Ministry’s and Sector’s plans and targets.

30.    Before I close, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Housing, H.E. Senator Aminu Tambuwal, the Chairman, House Committee on Housing and Habitat, Hon. Balele Aminu and Chairman, House Committee on Regional Planning and Urban Development, Hon. Abiante Awaji for their continuous legislative support towards the development of the Housing Sector in Nigeria.

31.    My greetings and appreciation also go to all Participants and Resource persons.  I thank you all for your efforts and contributions to the success of this Meeting.

32.    Finally, I would like to again reiterate and assure you of the Ministry’s commitment to sustaining the necessary collaborations, partnerships and engagements with all relevant Stakeholders in the Housing and Urban Development sector, as we all work together towards providing affordable housing and ensuring sustainable urban development in Nigeria.

33.    Thank you all for your attention and God bless.

WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, ARC. AHMED M. DANGIWA FNIA, FCIB, AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 28TH CONFERENCE OF DIRECTORS OF LANDS IN THE FEDERAL AND STATE MINISTRIES, DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES HOLDING AT MARCELINA’S PLACE, IKEJA, LAGOS, ON 15TH - 16TH NOVEMBER 2023

PROTOCOLS:
1.    It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the 28th Conference of Directors of Lands in Federal and State Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Nigeria.
2.    As most of you are already aware, this Conference was conceived over 28 years as part of efforts to promote effective land administration in our country.  
3.    Each year the Conference provides a platform for Directors of Lands at Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, State Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Nigeria to gather, network, share experiences, discuss sector challenges to produce clear recommendations that border on promoting effective land administration in the country.
4.    The Conference objective remains noble, progressive, and relevant today, as it was back then when the Conference was conceived. So, as we begin this 2023 edition, the 28th one in a series, we must do so in full recognition of the current in-efficient and challenges-full state of land administration in our country today.
5.    To do this means asking ourselves some tough questions to bring us to reality and confronting the answers.
6.    First, can we say that the sum of annual gatherings and conversations over the close to three (3) decades of this conference are helping us make progress in fixing the many issues in land administration in our dear country?
7.    How many of the issues that we discuss each year at this Conference end up tackled and solved? How many of the recommendations that the Conference produces end up implemented? Or are we simply moving around in circles and turning the conference into an annual bazaar of some sort. Do we even have a tracking mechanism to monitor whether we are making progress or not?
8.    We must confront these questions and be humbled by the answers. It is only by doing this reality check that we can find the inspiration, encouragement and resolve to work harder and differently in our respective offices as Directors and stakeholders towards achieving the noble goals with which this Conference was established.
9.    As the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, I must say that I am honestly not happy with the current state of land administration in the country. And the reasons are obvious. The same issues that were there decades ago are still there today with us today.
10.    This includes inadequate land information systems, complex land tenure systems, cumbersome and time-consuming land registration processes that contribute to delays and corruption in the system; the lack of a streamlined and transparent registration process that discourages investment and hinders economic development; inadequate urban planning which lead to informal settlements; congestion, and improper land use, inadequate legal and regulatory frameworks which results in legal uncertainties, making it difficult for individuals and businesses to navigate the land administration system with confidence. These are all problems that we all must fix. No one will do it for us.
11.    I must acknowledge that some of these problems are beyond the capacity of the Conference and Directors to resolve. Indeed, the most fundamental ones such as the Land Use Act 1978 require legislative amendments and national government policy interventions. However, there is a lot of room for innovation to circumvent the limitations posed by some of these barriers. We have seen in States such as Kaduna, Kano, where innovative leaders have found ways to implement reforms that have helped them ease land administration by introducing efficiencies in land titling and property registration despite the limitations of the Land Use Act. These states deserve our commendation.
12.    And my charge to all of you attending this 2023 Conference is that we must do likewise. We must think out of the box, innovate, and learn to do things differently. That will help us make progress and change the narrative going forward.
13.    The theme of this year’s Conference — "Improving Land-Based Revenue of the Federating Units in Nigeria through Efficient and Effective Land Administration" — speaks directly to the core of our national progress.
14.    As you are all aware, land, is an economic resource that holds immense potential for revenue generation and sustainable development. However, to harness this potential, we must address the challenges within our land administration systems and strive for efficiency and effectiveness.
15.        I am happy to inform you that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is set to tackle the systemic challenges that have hindered effective land administration. Mr. President has a bold vision for the sector and is committed to backing it up with the necessary political will to break down all barriers to unlock the revenue earning potential of land.
16.    As the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, we have taken Mr. President’s vision and are running with it. Our aim is to implement the most historic land reforms the country has ever witnessed to make it easier, safer, and more profitable for the private sector to invest in the sector and make good returns.
17.    A notable part of our broad housing sector reforms includes the implementation of comprehensive land reforms towards streamlining land administration and ensuring easy, cost effective and efficient access to land in our country.
18.    Currently, we have a situation where the Land Use Act was enacted in 1978 but there was no complementary institution set up alongside it to provide the necessary framework, guidelines, and regulations for operationalizing it. We are working to establish a National Land Commission that would fix this gap and chart a new way forward for effective land administration in the country.
19.    This will improve land titling and boost Nigeria’s ranking on the World Bank Ease of Doing Business where we currently rank 186th out of 190 countries on the World Bank Ease of Doing Business index in terms of ease of registering properties. Last week I met with the leadership of the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reforms, Prof. Peter O. Adeniyi, where we agreed to incorporate the extensive work that they have done over 14 years in our land reform strategy. As the renowned land reform scholar said, experience shows that a nation can never develop if it does not conduct land reform. It will also help to boost revenues that States and Federal Government can earn from land.
20.    The second related reform is the nationwide adoption of the Model Mortgage Foreclosure Law. The Model Mortgage Foreclosure Law (MMFL) is a housing industry stakeholder initiative and part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR that is focused on establishing an enabling environment for investment in real estate and the growth of mortgages in a state. It provides contemporary provisions on the creation, registration, and enforcement of mortgages, along with remedies like foreclosure and the enforcement of mortgages on real properties and related purposes in Nigeria.
21.    As of date, the Model Mortgage Foreclosure Law (MMFL) has been passed in four (4) states, including Lagos, Kaduna, Ekiti, and Nasarawa States. We aim to drive its passage in all the states of the federation as part of our efforts to ensure that investments in the housing and mortgage sector are protected.
22.    The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, through the Lands and Housing Development Departments, made great strides in improving land-based revenue generation for the Federal Government by way of income from fees charged on both primary and secondary transactions. These are statutory fees demanded for use of Federal Government lands.
23.    As you deliberate on land and land related issues for the next two days, I urge you to critically examine measures that you can act on in the interim such issues as digitization of land titling process to improve ease of doing business, fostering synergy between public and private investors in housing delivery, checking the trend of double titling and multiple charges on Federal Government properties in the states, all of which is aimed at improving land based revenue in the tiers of government. At the end of your deliberations, it is hoped that you will come up with meaningful and workable solution to most of the problems confronting land administration and management at the various tiers of Government.
24.    Knowing fully well that the outcome of this conference will form part of input/proposals to the National Council on Lands and Housing to be held next year. It is, therefore, with all seriousness of purpose that I enjoin you to be sincere and meticulous in your deliberations, putting the interests of the Country and complexity of interests in land in focus, in addressing issues hindering efficient land administration and management in Nigeria with a view to improving land-based revenue for sustainable development in the country.
25.    On this note, it is now my special pleasure and privilege to declare the 28th Conference of Directors of Lands in Federal and State Ministries, Departments and Agencies open.
26.    Thank you and may God bless Nigeria.