Feb

04

2025

Dangiwa Lauds Mr. President for FEC Approval of N31bn Access Road to Karsana Renewed Hope City

Abuja, Nigeria – Tuesday, February 4, 2025  – The Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has extended his deepest appreciation to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his bold vision for housing development and consistent support towards achieving the goals of the Renewed Hope Agenda for housing and urban development.  

This commendation follows the approval of N31.66 billion by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the construction of a critical access road to the 3,112 Housing Unit Renewed Hope City in Karsana, Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The approval was granted during the FEC meeting held today, following the presentation of a memo by the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bar. Nyesom Wike.  

The memo was in line with the Presidential Directive issued last year during the launch of the Karsana Renewed Hope City project by President Tinubu. The directive emphasized the need for proper infrastructure and accessibility to all Renewed Hope Housing Project sites across the country.  

Arc. Dangiwa described the approval as a significant milestone in the Tinubu administration’s efforts to address Nigeria’s housing deficit and ensure sustainable urban development. He noted that the construction of the access road will not only ease transportation to the Karsana Renewed Hope City but also open up the axis for rapid housing development and economic activities.  

“This approval demonstrates Mr. President’s unwavering commitment to providing affordable housing for Nigerians and ensuring that all Renewed Hope Housing Projects are supported with the necessary infrastructure. The construction of this road will enhance accessibility to the Karsana Renewed Hope City, making it easier for Nigerians to benefit from this landmark housing project,” Arc. Dangiwa stated.  

The Karsana Renewed Hope City is a flagship project under the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Housing Programme, designed to deliver 3,112 housing units to Nigerians. The project is part of a broader strategy to bridge Nigeria’s housing gap and provide decent, affordable housing for all citizens.  

The Honourable Minister also commended the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Bar. Nyesom Wike, for his diligence in presenting the memo and ensuring that the project aligns with the administration’s vision. He reiterated the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s commitment to working closely with all stakeholders to deliver the Renewed Hope Housing Projects on time and to the highest standards.  

The construction of the access road is expected to commence soon, with the project being closely monitored to ensure timely delivery.  

Jan

28

2025

DANGIWA WOOS FOREIGN INVESTORS FOR RENEWED HOPE HOUSING PROGRAMME AT SAUDI REAL ESTATE FORUM

Tuesday, January 28, 2025, Riyadh - Hon. Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa has called on global investors in Saudi Arabia to take advantage of the huge opportunities in Nigeria's housing sector, specifically the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme of the Federal Government.

Speaking in a Panel Discussion at the Saudi Arabia Real Estate Forum yesterday, he disclosed that Nigeria's huge housing deficit offers enormous business opportunities, and the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme serves as a low-hanging fruit for investors in the Middle Eastern nation to take advantage of and get good returns.

The Forum themed, "Balance and Innovation in the Real Estate Landscape." was held at the Four Points Hotel in Riyadh and featured esteemed panelists including HE Eng. Abdullah Al-Attiya, Minister of Municipality, Qatar, and HE Dr. Abdulla Muththalib, Minister of Construction, Housing, and Infrastructure, Republic of Maldives.

"Nigeria's real estate sector contributed around 5.2% to the nation's GDP in 2024, and will increase in market volume to $2.25 trillion by the end of 2025. Despite this, there is still tremendous opportunity for investment, especially in the Residential Real Estate segment. Nigerians need homes now more than ever and you can partner with the Nigerian government to deliver these houses at scale," he said.

Dangiwa noted that Nigeria faces an estimated housing deficit of 28 million units, a situation exacerbated by rapid urbanization and migration. "The government is tackling this by prioritizing large-scale housing delivery through public-private partnerships, innovative financing, and government-led interventions. Additionally, efforts are underway to engage state governments in unlocking land for affordable housing projects, as difficulties in land acquisition continue to hinder progress," he added.

Speaking on the theme, Dangiwa set the context by emphasizing that housing is a fundamental driver of economic growth, social stability, and national development. However, achieving a balance in the real estate sector between affordability and profitability means that the challenges of sustainability and cost efficiency, as well as policy and private sector incentives must be addressed.

"In Nigeria, rapid urbanization, population growth, and economic pressures necessitate a rethinking of housing delivery strategies. The Federal Government is committed to addressing these challenges through initiatives like the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme, the National Social Housing Fund, and strategic partnerships with local and international stakeholders," he said.

Addressing the tension between affordable housing and profitability for developers, he acknowledged concerns that affordability often conflicts with commercial viability. "To counter this in Nigeria, the government is using incentives such as bankable offtake guarantees, facilitated land access, and low-interest financing to encourage investment in affordable housing.

"The planned National Social Housing Fund aims to mobilize long-term concessional financing to ensure accessibility for lower and middle-income Nigerians. Furthermore, innovative models such as off-plan sales and bulk purchasing by cooperatives are being explored to reduce financial risks for developers while ensuring affordability for buyers," he noted.

The Minister also touched on the subject of sustainability, stressing that energy-efficient buildings, the use of local materials, and smart construction techniques ultimately lower maintenance and operational costs. On this note, he said the Ministry is working with international partners like IFC EDGE to integrate green building practices into Nigeria’s housing sector through capacity building, technology transfer, and financial incentives. "Additionally, the establishment of Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones is expected to reduce reliance on imported materials, cut costs, create jobs, and support sustainable housing solutions," he said.

He further assured the investors of the government's commitment and actions towards enhancing the affordability of Nigerians to purchase homes through mortgage. Dangiwa pointed out that high-interest mortgage rates, which can reach up to 30% per annum, have historically made homeownership difficult for many Nigerians. To address this, he said the government is expanding the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria’s reach and recapitalizing it with N500 billion to provide more accessible single-digit mortgage products.

"Additionally, collaborations with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated are in progress to leverage the Nigerian Capital Market and mobilize private sector funding for housing development. The Real Estate Investment Fund, targeting 12% mortgage interest rates instead of the market’s 28-30%, aims to provide bankable offtaker guarantees for developers. Meanwhile, rent-to-own schemes are being introduced to facilitate homeownership through flexible payment structures, including a rental assistance product that enables qualifying applicants to pay rent in monthly installments rather than upfront lump sums," he added.

Technology and digital transformation in real estate also formed part of the Minister’s discussions. He underscored the importance of PropTech in digitizing property transactions and management, making them more efficient and secure. He revealed that this was being done in collaboration with the World Bank, who is undertaking a National Land Registration and Documentation Programme to streamline land titling, enhance transparency, and improve formalization in the sector.

"Localization of housing production remains a priority, with the Ministry championing modular and prefabricated housing technologies to accelerate delivery and reduce costs. By promoting local production and reducing dependence on expensive imports, Nigeria aims to build more homes efficiently and affordably," he stressed.

Declaring that Nigeria's Real Estate sector is open for business, Dangiwa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for real estate growth through strong policies, regulatory frameworks, and investment incentives. "Collaboration with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum is also ongoing to improve land access, streamline approval processes, and enhance urban planning policies. Furthermore, urban renewal and slum upgrading initiatives are being expanded to improve living conditions in rural, semi-urban, and urban areas," he explained.

While he acknowledged the headache investors feel with regards to achieving balance in the sector, he urged all not to treat balance and innovation in real estate as mutually exclusive, noting that they can be pursued simultaneously through smart policies, innovative financing, sustainable construction, and digital transformation. He reiterated his commitment to advancing policies that make housing more accessible, affordable, and sustainable in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu Administration.
 

Jan

23

2025

Renewed Hope Medic Estates, Cities Underway - Dangiwa 

*  10,000 housing units across the nation 
*   Health Ministry, FMBN, REDAN, PPP involved
*  Wellbeing of health care workers, a priority of Renewed Hope Agenda

Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in collaboration with the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) plans to construct 10,000 housing units RENEWED HOPE MEDIC CITIES across the country in order to meet the housing needs of the Nation’s medical workers.

Housing Minister,  Ahmed Dangiwa disclosed the plan during his meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Thursday,  23rd, January, 2025 in Abuja.

He appreciated the commitment and sacrifices of the medical workers in saving lives even under challenging conditions, noting that their well-being which includes access to decent and affordable housing was a priority that aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and the mandate at this Ministry.

“Housing is a fundamental need that directly impacts productivity, stability, and quality of life. We recognize the difficulties many healthcare workers face in securing suitable accommodation, particularly in high-demand urban centers where medical facilities are concentrated. Addressing these challenges requires strong partnerships between the government and professional bodies like yours”, he added.

Restating the objective of the Renewed Hope Housing Programme to expanding access to affordable housing for all Nigerians, Dangiwa informed the delegation that, 10,112 housing units were currently under construction in fourteen locations across the country which includes 3,112 units of Renewed Hope Cities in Karsana Abuja, 2,000 units in Lagos State, and 2,000 units in Kano State. 

Accordingly, the Minister also said that there were twelve on-going Renewed Hope Estates of 250 units each in twelve States, adding that the Ministry plans to extend to the remaining 18 states in the country, “Your members can take advantage of these housing projects to own their homes”, he encouraged.

On the ownership options to the housing units, the Minister informed of an Up to 30-Year National Housing Funds (NHF) Mortgage Loans, a Rent to Own option, Instalment Payment, as well as an Outright Purchase option, adding that the online portal https://renewedhopehomes.fmhud.gov.ng was created by the ministry for ease of application for the homes.

The Minister further expressed the commitment of the Ministry to supporting policies and programs that uplift the living standards of Nigerians.

“Your visit today strengthens our resolve to design housing interventions that serve our national heroes-those who dedicate their lives to saving others”. He said.

Speaking earlier, National President, Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Tope Osundara, appreciated the Minister for supporting and keying into President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, by championing the Renewed Hope Housing project, and making NARD a beneficiary.

Emphasizing the importance of the Resident Doctors to the Nation’s Health Care System, the NARD President appealed to the Minister to assist the association to key into the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda, pointing out that it would play a significant role in forestalling the long standing issue of Nigerian Doctors leaving the country.

Dr. Osundara informed that the Association is proposing a 1000 housing unit under phase one for a start in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which would serve as a template and encourage other members of the association across the states to key in.

He also noted the importance of building housing units for the Doctors in the hospital premises, considering that the Resident Doctors are ideally supposed to be resident within the hospital in order to enable timely attendance to emergencies.

Also speaking, the representative of REDAN and a member of NARD, Dr. Suleiman Abubakar Sadiq explained that the RENEWED HOPE MEDIC CITIES project for the Health Workers would be a partnership between the Ministries of Housing and Health, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and a Public Private Partnership arrangement.
 
According to him, the housing construction which is expected to commence across the country between January and February 2025, aims to build 10,000 housing RENEWED HOPE MEDIC Estates and Cities across the Nation.
 
Dr. Sadiq expressed hope that the project would be a significant step toward,  enhancing the welfare of healthcare workers and ensuring they have access to safe and affordable housing, thereby improving morale and productivity in the health sector.

Jan

21

2025

Budget 2025: Housing Minister Seeks Increased Funding to Deliver Affordable Housing to Nigerians

* Prioritises completion of ongoing Renewed Hope Housing Projects
 
* Says insufficient budgetary provisions, allocation and high cost of building materials, a challenge 

The Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc.Ahmed Musa Dangiwa has highlighted the urgent need for increased budgetary allocation to deliver the Presidential mandate of providing affordable housing and reducing the housing deficit.

The Minister gave the higlight during the 2025 budget defence before the Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, and the House of Representatives Committee on Housing and Habitat respectively, Monday, 20th January,  2025.

The Senate Committee is under the Chairmanship of His Excellency Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, while the House of Representatives Committee is headed by Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin.

Dangiwa, who alongside the Minister of State, Rt Hon Yusuf Abdullahi Ata led the management staff of the Ministry to the budget defence, also presented the 2023/2024  budget performance of the Ministry.

In his presentation, he highlighted the ministry's priorities for 2025, emphasizing the need to complete ongoing housing projects, slum upgrading, and urban renewal programs across the nation.

Arc Dangiwa also listed the focus areas of his ministry in the 2025 budget to include; construction of 20,000 housing units under the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda, and completion of National Housing projects in over 20 states and the FCT.

Accordingly, the Minister urged the committee to increase budget allocations in seven key areas which he said were critical to the transformative policies and programmes of Mr President to put the economy on the path of recovery and growth.

The seven key areas, he mentioned were;

- Increased funding for the completion of ongoing housing projects.

- Enhanced allocation for slum upgrading and urban renewal programs.

- Additional resources for the National Housing projects.

- Improved funding for affordable housing initiatives.

- Enhanced allocation for housing infrastructure development.

- Increased support for housing research and development. 

- Improved funding for housing policy and regulatory framework development.

Both committees expressed their support for the vision and commitment of the ministry to turn around the housing sector of the country and assured the Ministry of their collaboration to assist the ministry to meet it's demands and obligations 
 

Dec

24

2024

Belgore Assumes Office as Permanent Secretary Housing Ministry, Assures Staff of inclusiveness, team work

* FMHUD in safe hands - Ogunbiyi 

Dr Shuaib Mohammed Lamido Belgore has assumed office as the new Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. He replaced Dr Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi who was redeployed to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

In a brief handing and taking over ceremony today, Tuesday,  December 24th, 2024, at the Conference hall of the Housing Ministry, Dr Belgore who was redeployed from Federal Ministry of Regional Development assured the staff of his readiness to work with them as a team, stating that his pattern of leadership revolves round inclusivity.

" Generally, my style is that of being inclusive. I work with whom I meet on ground and want to work with you. I believe in team work, " he said.

Belgore enjoined the staff of the ministry to be hardworking, committed in the line of duty and embrace the culture of loyalty and transparency.

"  I expect hard work, commitment and loyalty." he stated 

Declaring his readiness to hit the ground running, Belgore has directed the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics of the Ministry to earnestly brief him on the status of the Ministry on FSCCIP and the housing sector ministerial delivery because of their importance to the current administration.

Belgore said, "I want to know where we are on the FSCCIP as well as the Ministerial delivery. I want to know the job ahead of me because these are the two main things I have to achieve while carrying out the mandate of the ministry."

Similarly, the Permanent Secretary also urged the Director, Reform Coordination and Service Delivery of the ministry to be prepared for work ahead, noting the department is responsible for the coordination of the FSCCIP. 

"The Director, Reform Coordination and Service Delivery, you have a lot of work to do because you have to do the coordination," he asserted.

Dr Belgore also advised the directors at the meeting to get the presentations on their departments ready using the template that would be circulated to them from his office.

"I expect presentations. Templates will be circulated, exactly what I want to know, I want that given to me," he noted.

On Renewed Hope Cities and Estates, the Permanent Secretary gave assurance of his commitment to ensuring successful delivery of the projects by the ministry.

"The Renewed Housing is a big deal. I intend to ensure that we  succeed with it. We will carry from where he has left it and we will move to the greatest height so we can achieve more," he assured.

On his part, the outgoing Permanent Secretary, Dr, Marcus Ogunbiyi informed his incoming colleague of the flagship projects of the ministry which he listed as; Renewed Hope Cities and Estates, National Housing Project, Slum Upgrade among others, adding, it is important to see that the projects succeed because they are the programme that give the ministry the name it bears, " Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

Dr. Ogunbiyi, expressed his appreciation to the staff and called on the management and staff of the Ministry to give the incoming Permanent Secretary all the necessary support to make him succeed , stating that if the ministry fails it is the Permanent Secretary that would take the blame.

He also assured the staff not be anxious of who the incoming Permanent Secretary is, assuring them they are in safe hands.

Earlier in a welcome remarks,  Director,  Human Resource and Management, Akinola Adesina described the Dr Murcus Ogunbiyi as a wonderful, though tough because he believes in result, person to work with while describing the incoming Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shuaib Belgore as equally a wonderful person whom he had worked with while in Federal Ministry of Interior. 

On ground to receive the new Permanent Secretary and witness the handing and taking over were the Directors, Heads of Developments and Units of the Ministry.
 

Dec

13

2024

Housing Ministry to Renovate, Safeguard, Optimize Federal Assets Nationwide 

  * To Enforce Compliance with Land Administration Laws

•⁠  ⁠Holds Stakeholder- Citizens Engagement to facilitate Inproved Land Administration Service 

Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government  to renovating, safeguarding and optimizing the value of its assets nationwide while enforcing strict compliance with land administration laws.

The Minister made this declaration during a Stakeholder - Citizens Engagement on Land Administration held at Victoria Crown Plaza Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, Friday,  December 13th, 2024.

The stakeholder - citizen engagement to facilitate improved  Land Administration Service in Nigeria was the concluding part of his three-day working visit to Lagos.

Arc. Dangiwa in his remarks emphasized the resolve of the Ministry under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to restore order in federal land and asset management.

"In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Ministry is resolved to ensure strict adherence to the provisions of the law regarding the control and administration of its assets to maintain order," he stated 

The Minister who, alongside his team, toured various federal government facilities, field offices, and housing projects in Lagos over the course of three days expressed concern over the poor condition of federal assets and uncompleted housing projects, vowing to expedite their renovation, upgrade, and completion.

“We have resolved to optimize these facilities and put them to good use so they can provide value to the government and Nigerians. Our aim is to fast-track the completion of housing projects to increase the stock of affordable housing for Nigerians in Lagos,” He noted.

The Ministry also announced plans to transform its field offices into modern, functional workspaces to boost staff productivity and enhance operational efficiency in Lagos.

Addressing irregular developments along the Lagos shoreline where unauthorized land reclamation and construction have been rampant, Dangiwa reiterated the Federal Government’s authority over shoreline titles and warned developers who fail to comply with legal requirements of appropriate action.

"We have observed numerous haphazard developments along the shoreline, where people have reclaimed and built on land without proper clearance or authorization. This is unacceptable," the Minister said.

To curb these practices, the Ministry issued a one-month ultimatum for all developers on shorelines to regularize their papers or risk having their properties revoked and demolished.

Underscoring the importance of collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Housing and the Lagos State Government in resolving land disputes, both parties agreed to form a joint committee to resolve longstanding land issues and foster a coordinated approach to land administration.

“We are one government, and it is vital that we work as partners to ensure effective administration of federal government assets. Proper coordination will prevent exploitation by third parties and ensure compliance with the law,” Dangiwa stated.

The Stakeholder Engagement on Land Administration provided an opportunity for developers, residents, and key stakeholders to share insights and contribute to the Federal Government's strategy for sustainable urban development.

The Minister also noted that the interactive session was a critical step toward improving land administration in Lagos and delivering on the ministry’s  promise of affordable housing and urban development for all Nigerians.

Issues that came up during the stakeholders engagement amongst others were;  payment of double ground rates, issuance of CofOs, canal discharge and flooding in some Federal Government Estates,  land ownership litigation and compensation, and  deplorable road infrastructure in some estates. 

" The Ministry is ready to address the myriad of such challenges, hence the stakeholder - citizens engagement for the ministry to understand the needs and concerns of the citizens with the view to identifying areas for improvement" Dangiwa stated. 

Dec

11

2024

Housing Ministry, Lagos State Government Agree to Resolve Perennial Land Issues 

*  We will give ministry necessary support to succeed - Sanwo-Olu

*  Technical Committee sets up to Review, Assess and Recommend Mutually Beneficial Way Forward.

Federal Ministry  of Housing and Urban Development and the Lagos State Government have agreed to work together towards an amicable resolution of all pending issues around land administration in the State. 

This was a key outcome of the meeting between the Hon Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu held at the Marina, Lagos Government House, Wednesday,  December 11th, 2024.

Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa was on a working visit to Lagos State where he visited the Ministry’s field offices, including the Glass House which houses over 40 federal government 's agencies, landed Federal government properties and the former Federal Secretariat in Ikoyi which is currently under dispute with the Lagos state government.
 
The Minister and the Governor agreed to set up a tripatite committee comprising the ministry, Lagos State Government and the Resort International Limited, who took over the complex and started work on it before the dispute, to review and assess all positions in order to solve the lingering  dispute in a mutually beneficial to all the parties involved.

The minister used the opportunity of the courtesy visit to abreast the Governor of the Ministry’s efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR to provide descent and affordable houses to Nigerians and ensure urban development and slums upgrade 

Dangiwa commended the remarkable progress made by the state under the  administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in delivering good governance and transforming Lagos state into a beacon of progress and innovation.

He also appreciated the Governor for graciously providing land in Ibeju- Lekki area to the Ministry for the Renewed Hope City Project which construction for 2000 housing units is already ongoing, and expecting the official groundbreaking by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu early next year. 

To foster an investment-friendly, smart, and sustainable environment in Lagos state, the the Minister sought the consideration of the Governor on the need for harmonization of federal and state regulatory activities, saying that building the synergy was crucial to attracting private sector investment, as well as ensuring sustainable urban development.

Dangiwa appealed to the governor for common ways to resolve the lingering lands problems with the federal government in Lagos state, which he said has been a concern, emphasising the significance of coming together to consolidate on the existing relationship between the Federal Government and Lagos State being the former seat of the  Government

 “Your Excellency, the Federal Government and the Lagos State are partners in development and land administration. It is important for us to work together in the spirit of cooperation and understanding” he said 

He expressed confidence that addressing the problems collaboratively will further strengthen the relationship between the two tiers of government, enhance urban development, and improve the lives of Lagosians. 

The Minister was further delighted to state that Lagos State is the first to domesticate the National Building Code, further looking forward to a mutually beneficial partnership between the Ministry and the state.

At the glass house, the Minister used the opportunity of the visit to address the staff of the over 40 agencies occupying the facility, and assured them that,  his Ministry will carry out a major renovation of the building, restore it back to life with electricity, water supply and other necessities to make it conducive for workers 

Dec

10

2024

We are on Track to Meeting Annual Target for Housing Delivery -  Dangiwa

Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa has affirmed that the progress so far recorded under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estate programme alongside the housing units delivered by the agencies of the Ministry, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and Federal Housing Authority, shows that the Ministry is clearly on course to meet close to an annual target of 20000 housing units.

Dangiwa made this affirmation during the engagement with the Special Assistant to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU), Hadiza Bala Usman. 

The engagement with CRDCU was on the 1st - 3rd Quarters 2024 Performance Assessment Report on Implementation of Presidential Priorities and Ministerial Deliverable of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development which was presented by Hadiza Bala Usman 

Dangiwa appreciated the continuous monitoring from the CRDCU team, saying that it has kept the Ministry at an alert and ready to deal with problems.

“As your team has already seen from our first, second and third quarter reports, we have been focused and working creatively hard as a Ministry to deliver results and impacts”, he noted.

The Minister informed that the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates program currently has 10, 112 housing units ongoing at 14 construction sites nationwide, which includes 3000 housing units in 12 estates at 250 units per state, under the 2023 ₦50bn supplementary budget; and 3,612 units in Karsana Renewed Hope City, aside the 1,500 units in Kano and 2000 units in Lagos State.

He disclosed that President Bola Ahmed  Tinubu, GCFR, would next week, December 17th and 19th respectively be officiating the groundbreaking of two additional Renewed Hope Cities in Kano and Lagos States, consisting of 2,500 units in Ibeju Lekki
Lagos and 1 500 units in Kano, saying that the funding was by the FMBN and a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. 

Dangiwa also explained that the Ministry has embraced the PPP arrangement to compliment the insufficiency of funding from the budgetary allocation. 

Expressing concerns that the housing problems in the nation requires at least 550,000 housing units annually over the next 10 years to close the deficit, the Minister maintained optimism that the Ministry has achieved a significant progress under the Renewed Hope Agenda 

“The Ministry needs a bigger budgetary allocation for housing units, we have engaged the National Assembly currently and they have expressed willingness to support ₦500bn budget for the Ministry in 2025, we would like the CRDCU to also help us support and push for this course”, he said.

Accordingky, he also informed the CRDCU team that the Ministry is seeking to deepen its urban development interventions, citing the assurance of the executive director of the UN-Habitat during a recent executive board meeting in Nairobi, that every money invested in the National Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrade program could leverage 3 folds through their institution partners;

In his words, “we need a minimum of ₦50bn annually revolving, to drive a sustainable Slum Upgrade and Urban development which is key to Nigeria meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) 2030”.

Similarly. Dangiwa informed that the Ministry's intervention in slums upgrade includes providing basic services like access roads, drainages, water, among others, to make slum areas more livable;

“ We currently have over 100 projects nationwide with close to 60 already completed" he said

While appreciating the Ministry's significant progress since submission of the Q 3 report, he acknowledged some challenges hindering some efforts at the Ministry to include untimely release of budgetary allocation and high cost of building materials.

He further solicited the support of the CRDCU in the area of assuring early release of budgetary allocations; partnerships with the state governments, National Economic Council, the National Assembly and other key stakeholders as well as the review of the Land Use Act.

In her remarks and presentation of the Q1-Q3 2024 Performance Assessment Report, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU), Hadiza Bala Usman, emphasized the importance of collaboration and data -driven governance, noting that effective data management is essential for validating progress and enhancing performance. 

She highlighted the Ministry’s High-Impact Deliverables and Indicators, developed in partnership with the CRDCU, as part of the Performance Bond signed by Ministers in November 2023, mentioning enhancing Infrastructure and Transportation as enablers of growth. 

Similarly,  the Special Adviser listed the housing ministry's deliverables which includes; reviewing the Land Use Act in conjunction with the National Assembly and State Governments, facilitation and construction of at least 20,000 affordable housing units annually, and rehabilitating  federal secretariats nationwide to improve government infrastructure.

The CRDCU stressed the need for improved data management systems within the ministry, highlighting the critical role of accurate data in tracking project timelines, particularly the recommended one-year gestation period for project completion.

CRDCU also recommended that the office of the Minister in conjunction with the permanent secretary take a more coordinated approach to the project management of the inter ministerial deliverables to enable rigorous approach to weekly project tracking and reporting.

Dec

06

2024

DANGIWA SEEKS INCREASED UN-HABITAT SUPPORT FOR NIGERIA’S NATIONAL URBAN RENEWAL AND SLUM UPGRADE PROGRAMME

•    Announces Plans for Nigeria’s First National Urban Forum Mid 2025

Nairobi, Kenya – December 5, 2024: In a bid to strengthen Nigeria’s efforts in addressing urban development challenges, the Hon. Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has called for increased support and collaboration from UN-Habitat.

Speaking during a working lunch with the new Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Ms. Anaclaudia Rossbach, on the sidelines of the 2nd Session of the 2024 UN-Habitat Executive Board Meeting in Nairobi, the Minister emphasized the urgency of addressing Nigeria’s housing and urban challenges.

Arc. Dangiwa underscored the critical state of housing in Nigeria, noting that over 75% of the country’s 42 million housing units are substandard, with nearly half of the population living in informal settlements. To address these challenges, he highlighted the Federal Government’s National Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrade Programme (NURSUP), which has completed projects at 54 sites nationwide, with 56 additional projects underway. These efforts aim to improve essential infrastructure such as water supply, solar-powered streetlights, access roads, drainage systems, and waste management solutions.

The Minister stressed the importance of robust partnerships with international organizations like UN-Habitat to scale up these initiatives. “Our collaboration with UN-Habitat is critical. With your support, we aim to expand and enhance Nigeria’s National Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrade Programme to deliver transformative outcomes for our people,” he stated.

As part of Nigeria’s commitment to the global urban agenda, Arc. Dangiwa announced plans to host the country’s first National Urban Forum in June or July 2025. The forum will bring together stakeholders—including government representatives, urban planners, developers, civil society organizations, and development partners—to discuss Nigeria’s urban development strategies and align them with the New Urban Agenda (NUA).

The NUA, adopted at the Habitat III Conference in 2016, is a global framework guiding urbanization toward sustainability, inclusivity, and resilience. It emphasizes equitable access to housing, infrastructure, and services while advocating for compact, well-connected urban areas to reduce sprawl and enhance mobility. The NUA prioritizes climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and participatory urban governance, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 11. Its principles are central to Nigeria's efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda, driving sustainable housing and urban renewal.

Arc. Dangiwa also highlighted Nigeria’s leadership in urban transformation, noting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval of $500,000 to support UN-Habitat.

“Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda aligns with the global urban agenda, and we are committed to driving meaningful change through partnerships with organizations like UN-Habitat,” said the Minister. He expressed optimism about finalizing a comprehensive partnership framework within six months, with plans to sign the agreement during the National Urban Forum.

In her remarks, Ms. Rossbach praised Nigeria’s leadership role in urbanization and the Federal Government’s contributions to UN-Habitat initiatives, including $3 million toward the African Urban Agenda Programme (2013–2016). She affirmed that Nigeria remains a top priority for the agency and acknowledged the government’s active participation in global urbanization dialogues, such as WUF12 in Cairo and the inaugural Africa Urban Forum.

Ms. Rossbach also highlighted UN-Habitat’s ongoing efforts to align its work plan with Nigeria’s strategic priorities, including a national urban renewal strategy and improved land administration systems. She assured the Minister of UN-Habitat’s commitment to strengthening its operations in Nigeria and maximizing the impact of the government’s $500,000 contribution.
Additionally, she announced that UN-Habitat is negotiating a €10 million grant with the European Union for urban integration projects in Northern Nigeria, alongside other partnerships with the World Bank and Ekiti State for urban planning and investment. She proposed a high-level visit to Nigeria in 2025 to coincide with the launch of a large-scale urban intervention programme.

“UN-Habitat assures the Honourable Minister that, in partnership with the UN Country Team, the agency is committed to supporting Nigeria in addressing its developmental and urbanization challenges sustainably. This aligns with the SDGs by facilitating better access to inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and human settlements,” she said.

Arc. Dangiwa’s efforts reflect Nigeria’s dedication to leveraging its partnership with UN-Habitat to drive transformative outcomes. “Nigeria is committed to advancing sustainable urbanization and improving the lives of our citizens through robust initiatives and strategic collaborations,” said the Minister.

Dec

05

2024

UN-HABITAT COMMENDS NIGERIA’S COMMITMENT TO TACKLING HUMAN SETTLEMENT CHALLENGES

•    As Dangiwa Announces FG’s $500,000 Contribution to UN-Habitat Country Office to Boost Multi-Bilateral Fund Mobilization, Advisory Services, and Technical Capacity for Housing and Urban Development

Thursday, December 5, 2024: The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has commended Nigeria for its commitment to fostering transformative change in human settlements and improving urban environments.  

The new Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Ms. Anaclaudia Rossbach, gave the commendation yesterday in Nairobi, Kenya, during the opening session of the second meeting of the 2024 Executive Board, chaired by Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa.  

She praised Nigeria’s effective leadership of the UN-Habitat Executive Board and lauded Arc. Dangiwa for his focused stewardship as Chair. Ms. Rossbach also expressed gratitude for Nigeria’s recent approval of a $500,000 contribution to UN-Habitat.  

“I greatly appreciate Nigeria’s commitment, exemplified by the Chair of the Executive Board, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, in advancing the mandate of UN-Habitat. Nigeria’s approval of $500,000 to UN-Habitat reflects its dedication to our partnership. This funding will bolster the UN-Habitat Country Office in Nigeria, enhancing its capacity to provide multi-level support for achieving Nigeria’s housing and urban development goals,” she stated.  

Earlier, Arc. Dangiwa, in his opening remarks at the Executive Board Meeting, announced that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had approved the Ministry’s request for a $500,000 contribution to UN-Habitat. This aligns with the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria and UN-Habitat for the period 2022–2027. The amount covers the outstanding Tranche 1 contribution for 2022–2023.  

Under the MoU, UN-Habitat is tasked with working with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development towards mobilizing technical expertise, capacity, and financial resources at national, regional, and international levels to drive impactful projects. The MoU also supports the development and implementation of projects and activities, provision of technical advisory services, and capacity-building assistance to federal, state, and local governments. Additionally, UN-Habitat will help foster partnerships and establish effective collaboration with bilateral and multilateral development partners.  

“We recognize the critical importance of enhanced funding to support UN-Habitat’s objectives and appreciate the contributions of member states and partners in this regard. Nigeria remains steadfast in its commitment to UN-Habitat. Just last week, our President approved a $500,000 contribution to cover Nigeria’s outstanding obligations for 2022–2023, reaffirming our dedication to the organization through our partnership framework,” Dangiwa stated.  

The Hon. Minister added that the Ministry is determined to maximize the value of its relationships with bi-lateral institutions such as the UN Habitat towards actualizing the Renewed Hope Agenda for housing and urban development. He acknowledged the support of delegates, and the progress achieved during Nigeria’s tenure as Chair of the Executive Board. Notable accomplishments include evaluating progress in implementing Assembly resolutions, reviewing the organization’s work plan and budget, and advancing the strategic plan for 2026–2029.  

“These milestones are expected to strengthen the realization of the global vision for human settlements at the national level. The emphasis on the sustainability and inclusiveness of the strategic plan is particularly reassuring,” he added.  
 

Nov

30

2024

Minister Ata Commends Progress on Renewed Hope City

Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, has expressed his satisfaction with the progress of ongoing projects at the "Renewed Hope City" in Lambu, Tofa local government, Kano State.

During his visit to the site on Friday, Minister Ata was impressed with the noticeable improvement in the project's pace compared to his previous visit with Hon. Minister Ahmed Musa Dangiwa a couple of weeks ago.

The state Minister, who toured the project site with his entourage, led by the project's contractors, commended them for their hard work and dedication, urging them to redouble their efforts to complete the project on time.

He emphasized the importance of timely completion, stressing that it would have a significant impact on the lives of the people in the community. Minister Ata noted that if the contractors maintain their current tempo, the project will be completed within the stipulated timeframe.

Minister Yusuf Abdullahi Ata also commended the efforts of the project team and encouraged them to sustain their momentum. 

During his assessment of the nearby Tabarakallah "Renewed Hope Housing Estate," Minister Ata observed that the roads had been bulldozed recently, indicating that the project was ongoing, although not at the desired speed.

However, he noted that apart from the Detailed Project Concept (DPC), the project's pace had not improved significantly since his previous visit with Hon. Minister Ahmed Musa Dangiwa.

As a seasoned politician and urban planner, Minister Ata brings a wealth of experience to his role. His background in economics and development studies has equipped him with a deep understanding of the complex issues surrounding housing and urban development.

With his extensive experience in legislative matters and community planning, Minister Ata is well-positioned to drive positive change in Nigeria's housing sector, particularly "The Renewed Hope Housing Projects."

Nov

29

2024

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.

Nov

20

2024

We Are Making Steady Progress!

In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Hon. Minister of Housing and Urban Development is steadily establishing a strong nationwide footprint in affordable housing through the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates initiative. So far, we have covered thirteen states of the federation, in addition to the FCT, with a total of 10,112 housing units currently under construction. @MSIngawa 

#RenewedHopeAgenda #AffordableHousing #HousingForAll #UrbanDevelopment #NationBuilding #NigeriaHousing #SustainableCities #Progress #BuildingTheFuture

Nov

18

2024

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.

Feb

05

2025

Belgore Receives ARCON's Leadership, Pledges closer collaboration 

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Shuaib Belgore has played host to the leadership of the Architect Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) on a visit to the Ministry, pledging to work closely with them to move the housing sector forward.

Dr Belgore, in his remarks, affirmed the importance of  Architects in nation building, saying architects turned inhabitable sites to beautiful cities for human beings to live. 
 

He expressed his happiness to the delegation, that the lingering disputes among the professional bodies in the built environment has been resolved amicably, adding that the housing sector was now professionally stronger to deliver services.

On the closer collaboration, Belgore stated "I understand that when it comes to any structure, building, architects are extremely important, therefore you can be assured of my cooperation." 

While reminding them of the ministry's projects; such as the National Housing Program and the Renewed Hope Housing Projects, he told them that he would continue to seek more clarification from their end, assuring that the Ministry will work closely with them to succeed.

Comparing the current city of Abuja to what it was when it was first created as the Nigeria's capital, Dr Belgore said that Architects had turned a forest to a beautiful liveable city through their expertise, noting that their role in nation building was very visible for everyone to see.

Speaking earlier, the ARCON President, Arch. Dipo Ajayi, who led a high - powered delegation of architects from various fields, emphasized the importance of collaboration in transforming Nigeria’s built environment.

Arch Ajayi highlighted that tapping into the wealth of experience of the Permanent Secretary would significantly impact the architectural landscape, enabling growth and innovation. 

" Collaborating with the Ministry and leveraging the Permanent Secretary's expertise will take architecture to new heights and redefine Nigeria’s landscape," he stated.

Reaffirming ARCON’s readiness to contribute, Arc. Ajayi expressed the council’s willingness to assist the Ministry in any capacity, urging the Permanent Secretary to empower architects by entrusting them with assignments that would allow them to execute and implement projects effectively.

"We are ready to support the Ministry in every possible way. We seek empowerment that will enable us to maximize our potential in executing and implementing architectural projects for national development," he added.

The meeting underscores ARCON’s dedication to fostering a strong partnership with the government to ensure architectural policies and projects align with the nation’s developmental goals.

Jan

30

2025

Housing Deficit a Big Opportunity for Transformative Change – Dangiwa 

•    Advocates Public-Private Partnerships at the Saudi Arabia Real Estate Forum

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has described Nigeria’s housing deficit as both a challenge and an opportunity for transformative change. 

Speaking on Wednesday 29th January 2025 at the 4th Edition of the Real Estate Future Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Minister highlighted the Nigerian government’s commitment to addressing the housing shortfall through a blend of government finance and strategic public-private partnerships (PPP).

Dangiwa commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its advancements in housing and urban development, noting that well-planned housing is essential for sustainable urban growth, economic prosperity, and improved living conditions.

“With a housing deficit of over 20 million units and a rapidly growing population, Nigeria presents a vast opportunity for investment in affordable housing,” the Minister stated. “To bridge this gap, we need to build about 500,000 housing units annually over the next decade. 

He outlined Nigeria’s ambitious Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme, a government-driven initiative to deliver 100,000 housing units in the first phase. These developments, designed as integrated communities, will cater to all income levels, including high-end residences and affordable units for low- and middle-income earners.

The Hon. Minister emphasized that affordability is central to the programme’s success, with mortgage loans, rent-to-own options, made available through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.

Beyond housing construction, Dangiwa listed the government’s plans to establish Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs (BMMHs) in each of Nigeria’s six geo-political zones. These hubs aim to reduce dependence on imported building materials, lower construction costs, and drive industrial growth.

Additionally, he noted that the government is working to implement a Comprehensive Nationwide Social Housing Delivery Programme targeting vulnerable groups, aiming to provide 100,000 social housing units across Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas.

Recognizing the scale of investment required, the Minister called on international investors, housing finance institutions, and reputable global developers to partner with the Nigerian government through Public-Private Partnerships. He assured investors of a conducive environment, including access to land, bankable offtake guarantees, and necessary concessions to ensure mutually beneficial collaborations.

“The housing challenge in Nigeria is not just a problem; it is a massive opportunity for investment,” Dangiwa concluded. “By partnering with us, investors can play a crucial role in shaping the future of Nigerian housing while securing substantial returns on investment.”

The Honourable Minister reaffirmed the government’s dedication to fostering an inclusive and sustainable housing sector and invited stakeholders to collaborate in building a prosperous and resilient urban future for Nigeria.

The last day of the Saudi Real Estate Foprum featured presentations from notable international figures such as the former President of the United States, Mr. Bill Clinton, Mr. Tucker Carlson, Global Media Influencer and several other high profile speakers. 
 

Jan

25

2025

Belgore Applauds Nigeria's HCSF, Walson-Jack's effort to make Nigerian Civil Service a World Class 

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development,  Dr Shuaib Muhammad Lamido Belgore has applauded the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack for her effort in making Nigerian Civil Service a world class service. 

Belgore spoke on the sideline following a landmark study tour to Singapore by the Nigerian Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Walson-Jack along with the 36 States' Heads of Civil Service and the FCT. 

Dr Shuaib Belgore was part of the delegation to Singapore led by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Didi Esther Walson-Jack. 

Singaporian Public Service is a global model, renowned for efficiency and accountability, and the study tour by Nigeria was meant to adapt, enhance and bring the Nigeria’s Civil Service at par with the global best.

He said " The purpose of the study tour is to leverage Singapore's public service excellence and apply the same to accelerate an efficient service delivery in Nigeria" 

Accordingly,  he explained that since assumption in to office, Mrs Walson-Jack has expanded collaborations and engagement with stakeholders, international development partners and has received significant support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

" The study tour is no doubt a landmark for Nigerian Civil Service under the headship of Mrs Walson-Jack, aimed at bringing the Service at par with the global best " he added 
 

Jan

22

2025

Promotion: Dangiwa, Ata Decorate, Congratulate Police Officers 

* Urge them to rededicate to Service

Minister and Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa and Yusuf Abdullahi Ata have decorated and congratulated four police officers attached to them on their promotion.

In their remarks during the decoration ceremony that took place at the Ministry's headquaeters, the Ministers urged the officers to rededicate themselves to serving the nation. 

Minister Dangiwa stated that success is often accompanied by challenges, encouraging the promoted officers to rise to the new challenges that come with their elevated positions. 

"Your promotions were well-deserved, You have demonstrated good conduct in the course of your respective duties,  I wish you  more promotions ahead " he said.

On his part, Minister of State, Rt. Hon. Yusif Abdullahi Ata, rejoiced with the promoted police officers and prayed for Allah's boundless guidance as they discharge their statutory duties.

Former Speaker and immidiate past Governor of Katsina State Aminu Bello Masari, who was in attendance, congratulated the officers and urged them to be thankful to God Almighty for keeping them alive to witness a milestone in their profession.

He noted that Nigeria was in dire need of the services of security officers, particularly the present times when the country is facing security challenges.

The promoted officers were; Kabir Haido, Chief Security Officer to Minister Dangiwa, who got promoted to Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), and Jibril Kawari, the Minister's Aide-de-Camp, who was promoted to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).

Others are; Jamilu Danjani, Chief Security Officer to the Minister of State, who got promoted to CSP, and Othman Umar Farouk, Aide-de-Camp to the Minister of State elevated to DSP.
 

Jan

13

2025

New Permanent Secretary Meets Minister of State for Housing

The newly appointed Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Shu'abu Lamido Belgore, paid an official visit to the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Rt. Hon. Yusif Abdullahi Ata, at his office on Monday, January 13, 2025.

During the meeting, Minister Abdullahi Ata and Permanent Secretary Belgore engaged in extensive discussions on ways to enhance their working relationship and complement each other's efforts. 

Their goal is to ensure effective service delivery within the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

This visit marks an important step in fostering collaboration and cooperation between the Ministry's leadership. 

As Permanent Secretary, Dr. Belgore brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having previously served in various capacities, including as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Niger Delta Development.

Dec

24

2024

Housing Ministry Celebrates Dr Olakunde's  Distinguished Service Career 

The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has celebrated the distinguished service and remarkable career of Dr. Akinola David Olakunde, the outgoing Director and Head of the Urban and Regional Development Department, who retired from the civil service of the Federal Government of Nigeria after years of exemplary service.

The event, which also marked Dr. Olakunde’s 60th birthday, was held at the Ministry's  Headquarters in Abuja. 

Dr. Akinola David Olakunde is an accomplished and seasoned Town Planner and an Associate  Chartered Accountant.

In his remarks at the event, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc Ahmed Dangiwa, commended the outstanding professionalism and dedication of Dr Olakunde, describing him as a trailblazer who has left a lasting impact on Nigeria’s housing and urban development sector.

“Dr. Olakunde’s contributions to the Ministry’s housing programs and his meticulous attention to detail have significantly shaped our country’s housing landscape. His unwavering commitment to excellence and service is an inspiration to us all,” the Minister said.

Citing his engagement with him in one of their meetings in Kenya, Arc  Dangiwa added that through his various leadership roles and initiatives,  Dr Olakunde has been a cornerstone in the ministry having  effectively facilitated collaborations with Shelter Afrique Development Bank.

The Minister also commended the role the retiring Director played in mentoring younger professionals, noting that his leadership and guidance have strengthened the capacity of the Ministry.

 “His legacy is not only in his professional accomplishments but in the countless individuals he has mentored and inspired,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of the outgoing Permanent Secretary, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, the Director of Human Resources, Akinola Adeshina, expressed gratitude to God for granting Dr. Olakunde a fulfilling career and good health upon his retirement. He encouraged staff members to emulate his outstanding attitude towards work by serving with dedication and integrity.

Similarly, colleagues and associates who spoke at the occassion described Olakunde as a visionary leader, a mentor, and an advocate for hard work and dedication to service.

Responding, Dr. Olakunde expressed gratitude to God for His mercies and protection through out his career spanning 34 years, emphasising,     many died along the way.

"It is by His mercy, it is by His grace one is witnessing today." he stated 

While applauding the staff of Urban and Regional Development  Department for the support given to him as the head of the department, Dr Olakunde enjoined them to continue with the maximum support to the incoming director.

He also advised the staff to embraced integrity, admonishing that, it is better to make a name before making money.

The ceremony celebrated Dr. Olakunde’s years of service, dedication, and the indelible mark he has left on the Ministry and Nigeria’s built environment.

Dec

12

2024

FG Issues Ultimatum to Developers on Lagos Shoreline to Regularise or Risk Revocation 

* Collaborating with the Lagos State Government to stop the abnomalities 

*  Haphazard Developments on shoreline not Tolerable - Dangiwa 

The Federal Government has given a one month ultimatum to developers on the shoreline in Lagos to come up for regularisation or risk revocation and demolition.

Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa issued the ultimatum and warning today after the Inspection visit to the Lagos Lagoon Estates and shoreline front.

Dangiwa is on official working visit to Lagos State to inspect the Federal government landed properties and assets. He is being accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi and some Directors of the Ministry.

The Minister stated that developments on the Lagos shoreline must be orderly and in line with existing laws and regulations, adding that his meeting with the Lagos State Governor yesterday, arrived at a common agreement that the Federal Government and Lagos State Government will work together to ensure there is disciplined development on the Lagos Shoreline. 

" The Federal government is taking stock of its assets and landed properties with the view to having proper documentation of its  assets spread across the country", he said.

Dangiwa who took a boat tour with his team and officials of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority to see things for himself, explained that, what they found on the Lagoon Shoreline in Lagos was alarming. The shoreline is littered with irregular developments where people carved some areas, sand filled it and built without first obtaining Federal Government title and necessary documentations. 

"There is no room for Haphazard developments on the Lagos Shoreline. We are working with Lagos State to fix these anomalies", Dangiwa said.

The Federal Government, through Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has the rights to issuance and administration of title on shorelines in  accordance with the Land (Title Vesting) Act 1975; and through Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority, grants permit to dredging along the shoreline, while the State Government has the control over physical development on the shoreline. 

He emphasised that the federal government will not tolerate such Haphazard development and irregular activities on the shoreline, hence the ultimatum.

Other Federal government's sites visited  by the Honourable Minister in Lagos  today include;  Ogbogbo Housing Project Ikorodu and Ikorodu Low Cost Housing sites.

The Honourable Minister will be rounding off his working visit with a Stakeholder Engagement, Friday, December 13th, 2024. 
 

Dec

10

2024

Welcome Remarks by the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, at the Presentation of the 1st to 3rd Quarters 2024 Performance Assessment on Implementation of the Presidential Priorities and Ministerial Deliverables on Monday, December 9, 2024

The Special Adviser to Mr. President on Policy and Coordination & Head, Central Delivery Coordination Unit, Hadiza Bala Usman, and her Team, 

The Hon. Minister of State, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, 

The Permanent Secretary, Dr. Marcus O. Ogunbiyi, 

Heads of our Agencies – FHA, FMBN, and OSGoF, 

Directors, 

Aides, 

Members of the Press, 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

1. It is my pleasure to welcome the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Policy and Coordination & Head, Central Delivery Coordination Unit, my sister, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, and her team to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development for a review of our performance. 

2. Madam, we are delighted to have you with us here today. The work that you and your team are doing is critical to actualizing the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President. By constantly monitoring and shining a light on our work, the Central Delivery Coordination Unit keeps us all on our toes. Well done! 

3. It has been over eleven months since we commenced reporting on our deliverables. As your team has already seen from our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quarter reports, we have been focused, working hard, and creatively as a Ministry to deliver results and impact. 

4. Although your assessment covers only our 3rd-quarter performance, I am pleased to update you that we have not paused but are making even more progress. Under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme, we currently have construction ongoing for a total of 10,112 housing units at fourteen (14) sites nationwide. This includes 3,000 housing units for estates in 12 states—250 units each, funded under the 2023 N50bn supplementary budget—and 3,612 units for cities in Kano (500 units – budgetary) and FCT (3,112 units – under PPP).

5. From December 17 to 18, Mr. President has graciously accepted to break ground for two additional Renewed Hope Cities totaling 3,500 units —2,000 housing units in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, and 1,500 housing units in Kano. In fact, construction work is already ongoing at these sites. This brings the total active sites under the Ministry’s Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme to 13,612 units.

6. When we add these figures to the housing units delivered by our agencies—the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and the Federal Housing Authority (FHA)—we are clearly on track to meet our annual target of 20,000 housing units. Initially, our plan was to deliver 500 units under Renewed Hope Estates in each of the twelve locations. However, the rise in building material costs forced us to reduce the target to 250 units, which affected our output.

7. It will also interest you to note that less than 50% of the funding for these projects is from budgetary allocation. We have embraced Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and innovatively leveraging private sector funding for the delivery of these projects because we know that the less than N50bn budgetary allocation is grossly inadequate to make a difference.

8. With more Renewed Hope Cities Sites coming up – 2,000 units each - in Nasarawa, Enugu, Borno States and housing development institutions like Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB), the Ministry wants to assure the Central Coordination and Delivery Unit that the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is fully on course to another stellar reporting round of stellar performance.

9. If we are looking at where we are coming from, we can praise ourselves. This is because we have already outperformed by 100 percent the previous 8 years before the Renewed Hope Agenda. However, when we look at the size of the housing problem which requires that we build 550,000 housing units per annum over the next years, it is clear that we are far from scratching the surface. This means we must do more. The Ministry needs a bigger budgetary allocation for housing even as we drive PPPs. We have engaged the National Assembly, and they have expressed willingness to support a N500bn budget for the Ministry in 2025. We would like the CDCU Unit to help us support and push this cause.

10. Madam, it is also important to note that our Ministry operates on two pillars: Housing and Urban Development. We are also seeking to deepen our urban development interventions. We just came back from the UN – Habitat Executive Board Meeting in Nairobi that I chaired. In our engagements on the sidelines, the Executive Director assured us that every Naira we invest in our National Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrade Programme (NURSUP) could be leveraged threefold through their institutional partners. This means an investment of N50bn could attract an additional N100bn, totaling N150bn. We need a revolving fund to drive sustainable urban development.  We therefore need a minimum of a N50billion revolving fund to drive sustainable Urban Development which is key to Nigeria meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 20230. Under slum upgrades, we are providing basic services such as access roads, drainage, water, and sanitation facilities to make slum areas more livable. We currently have over 100 projects nationwide, with close to 60 completed. 

11. I have taken time to speak on efforts to increase housing stock and urban development because they are the foundation of our ministry, and we have moved significantly forward since we sent in the 3^rd quarter reports. We have also made progress on the other areas but the last reports that we submitted are fair representations.

12. While we celebrate these achievements, it is essential to acknowledge the challenges that have impeded our efforts, which the Ministry is hopeful of collaborating with the CRDCU to address.  For example,  the slow release of budget appropriation has restricted the scope and achievement of some of our Reform Initiatives.  Notably, the high cost of building materials and the rate of inflation have impacted on our ability to deliver affordable housing at scale.  In this regard, while exploring alterantive financing sources from the Private Sector and our Developnetment Partners,  we particularly solicit the support of the CRDCU in ensuring the early release of budgetary allocation from the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Economic Development. 

13. We also solicit the support of the CRDCU in the area of partnerships with the State Government, National Economic Council (NEC) and also the National Assembly and other key Stakeholders; such as the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and the Ministry of Finance in achievement of the Ministerial Deliverables on the Review of the Land Use Act and Development of fiscal incentives for Private Investors to manufacture local building components, respectively.

14. As we evaluate our performance today, I want to appreciate the efforts of the Permananet Secretary, Heads of Agencies, our Directors and the Delivey Desk Officers towards the achievement of the Miniserial Deliverables targets. I also extend my gratitude to the Special Adviser to Mr. President on Policy and Coordination, my sister, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman and her Team for their support and diligence in tracking of our Deliverables.

15. At the Ministry we are committed to delivering on our deliverables and even exceeding them.

Thank you.

Dec

10

2024

FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE

We invite you to take 5 minutes of your precious time to fill out this feedback questionnaire of the 13th Meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development held in Gombe, Gombe State.

Click To Fill The Form

Dec

05

2024

FCSSIP 25: HOUSING MINISTRY SENSITISES STAFF ON INNOVATION

As part of the ongoing reforms in the Federal Civil Service, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has successfully organized a sensitization programme on Innovation Challenge for staff of the Ministry.

The training which held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, was conducted by the department of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, a department saddled with the responsibility of coordinating Innovative Ideas and competition in the Ministry. The training was in compliance with the provisions of a recent circular from the Head of Service on the creation of Innovation Division in the MDAs.

Innovation which is one of the pillars of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 25), is a systematic introduction of new or significantly improved products, services, or processes, crucial for the improvement of efficiency, effectiveness, and citizen satisfaction.

In her address, the Director overseeing the department, Philips Ogoniba Ibifuro informed that the aim of the sensitization programme was to prepare members of staff on how to strategize for emerging innovation technologies, and encourage participation in the upcoming innovation challenge, with an objective to identify innovative high fliers for proper engagement in the Service, as well as ensure full usage and commendations for all adopted innovative initiatives in the MDAs.

She stated that the Department has always been in the forefront of driving Government reform initiatives and therefore takes inventions, new ideas and innovations seriously because of its ability to enhance efficient delivery of the mandate of the Ministry.

 
The Director said that the Housing Ministry and its Agencies as a specialized Sector, yearly discover creative works and ideas, which sadly doesn’t receive deserved attention due to stereotypes and bureaucracy bottlenecks, hence the need for the sensitization program.

She also recognized the effort of a member of staff who developed an electronic Certificate of Occupancy (e-C of O), adding that it was a tip of the creative mind sets that abound at the Ministry and are yet to be discovered.

The program featured a presentation of an overview of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 25) delivered by Henry Nwaedo, from the Office of the Head of Civil Service, and a lecture on ‘Strategies for Emerging Technologies with a Focus on FCSSIP25’, presented by Ojiyovwi Michael, an innovation consultant.

Some proposed innovations for the Ministry emanated from the lectures includes; Capacity Building on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity awareness, Development Project Management (DPM) methodologies and Facility usage and management.

Others are: Process and Service Delivery Re-engineering and Stakeholder Engagements on the use of technologies for citizen feedback on housing policies, as well the establishment of a contact centre with connectivity to critical departments for real time information dissemination and internal communication.

In her closing remarks, the Assistant Director of the department Zainab Idris, expressed appreciation to the staff of the Ministry for gracing the sensitization program with their presence.

While noting that the resource persons had shared adequate knowledge about innovation, expressing the hope that interested members of staff would participate in the upcoming innovation challenge for the betterment of the Ministry, as well as effective service delivery.

Dec

02

2024

Dangiwa to Chair UN-HABITAT Executive Board Meeting in Nairobi 

The Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, will chair the second 2024 session of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) Executive Board Meeting, scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from December 4 to 6, 2024.  

This session will address critical global urban development challenges, including housing, urban regeneration, climate resilience, and sustainable development, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  

During the meeting, the Executive Board will, among other responsibilities, consider and potentially approve the draft work programme of UN-HABITAT and the draft budget for the United Nations Habitat and Human Settlements Foundation for 2025. The Board will also review reports on UN-HABITAT’s activities for 2020–2025, receive updates on the development of the Strategic Plan for 2026–2029, and assess the implementation of the organization’s normative and operational activities. This includes reporting on its 2024 programmatic initiatives, subprogrammes, flagship projects, technical cooperation efforts, and its engagement in countries, territories, and areas affected by conflicts and disasters.  

Nigeria’s leadership role as Chair of the UN-HABITAT Executive Board underscores the country’s commitment to advancing global sustainable urban development. It elevates Nigeria’s visibility and influence on the global stage, positioning the nation as a pivotal player in shaping the urban development discourse.  

Arc. Dangiwa’s chairmanship will amplify Nigeria’s voice in crafting policies and initiatives for sustainable global urbanization. It also reaffirms Nigeria’s dedication to addressing urban challenges, including housing deficits, slum development, and climate resilience.  

The meeting presents a significant opportunity for Nigeria to foster partnerships with international organizations, donors, and development agencies. It provides a platform to showcase Nigeria’s achievements and best practices in housing and urban development while cementing its position as a leader in Africa’s urban agenda.  

Moreover, the session aims to promote and adopt innovative, inclusive solutions for urban planning, housing, and sustainability across Africa and beyond.  

Under the leadership of Arc. Dangiwa, who also chairs the African Ministers of Housing Caucus, Nigeria is well-positioned to attract international funding and technical assistance for urban development projects, including real estate and infrastructure.  

The meeting is expected to enhance Nigeria’s capacity for knowledge exchange, strengthen regional alliances, and improve institutional frameworks by exposing participants to global best practices.  

Key focus areas for Nigeria include advocating for international support to address the nation’s housing deficit and promoting affordable housing solutions. Nigeria will also champion sustainable cities and climate adaptation on the global stage.  

A major anticipated outcome of the meeting is the strengthening of global partnerships to drive sustainable urban growth in Nigeria. This is expected to attract increased investments and resources to tackle urban challenges, fostering a more sustainable and inclusive future.  

Nov

29

2024

Dangiwa Advocates Cross-Subsidy Inclusion in MOFI Real Estate Investment Fund Framework

* Epresess Ministry’s support for MREIF

Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has urged the management of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated Real Estate Investment Fund (MREIF) to integrate cross-subsidy mechanisms into its framework for housing sector operations.

The Minister made the call in Abuja during an interactive session organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Housing and Habitat with a focused on the Federal Government's establishment of MREIF and the suspension of the Single Obligor Limit imposed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).

Arc Dangiwa emphasized that such an approach would enable the construction of cost-effective housing, making homeownership more accessible to low-income Nigerians.

Citing Algeria’s success where the government delivered one million homes in a year through cross-subsidy mechanisms, Arc Dangiwa proposed allocating 20–30% of funding for housing estates in Nigeria toward cross-subsidization.

He explained that this approach would ensure uniform infrastructure and external features while adjusting internal finishes to suit varying affordability levels, thereby enhancing homeownership opportunities for low-income Nigerians.

“Whenever we are funding any estate to be developed, 20 to 30 percent of the funding should be cross-subsidized,” the Minister emphasized.

Dangiwa commended the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun, for securing Federal Executive Council approval for MREIF, and described it as a transformative initiative poised to revolutionize the housing sector and call for innovative funding strategies beyond traditional budgetary allocations.

Dangiwa while addressing the restrictive impact of the Single Obligor Limit imposed by the CBN on FMBN, praised the House Committee on Housing and Habitat for intervening to halt the practice, noting that the cap on disbursements of 50 percent shareholders’ fund has limited the bank’s ability to fund primary mortgage institutions (PMIs), thereby hindering mortgage accessibility for Nigerians.

 Dangiwa also advocated for the recapitalization of FMBN, to enable it create affordable mortgages without relying on MREIF funding while more support for FHA  would enhance their capacity to strengthen housing development in the country.

The Minister reiterated the importance of innovative financing, institutional collaboration, and affordability as critical to addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit and expressed confidence in achieving sustainable growth in the housing sector under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

In his welcome remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee on Housing and Habitat, Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin, noted the importance of engaging key stakeholders in shaping the framework for MREIF.

He confirmed the committee’s position on halting the Single Obligor Limit and emphasized ongoing efforts to address concerns raised by stakeholders, including the FMBN and MBAN. The Chairnan directed representatives of the CBN, FMBN, and MBAN to collaborate and propose practical solutions within a week.

Dr. Armstrong Takang, Chief Executive Director of MOFI, highlighted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to prioritize liquidity in the housing sector and stressed the need for accessible and affordable mortgages with longer repayment terms to address affordability challenges and reduce the prevalence of abandoned houses.

 Dr. Takang also outlined MREIF’s dual strategy of supporting developers with off-take guarantees and facilitating low-cost mortgages for buyers.

Representatives from the CBN, FHA, MBAN, and REDAN expressed support for the establishment of MREIF, emphasizing the importance of a well-structured and approved framework. Suggestions included leveraging funds from unclaimed dividends, dormant accounts, and PENCOM funds to enhance the fund’s liquidity. The CBN requested a detailed conceptual framework to conduct a thorough review before making an informed decision.

Nov

22

2024

Stakeholder Engagement Meeting

*  Facilitated by the FMHUD on the Report on Preparation of Strategic Regional Development Plan for North Central Geo-political zone

*  Held at Shoprite Building, Wuse zone 5 Abuja, Thursday,  November 21st, 2024.

* The aim of the engagement is to facilitate balanced development within the region and reduce regional disparities

* This is part of the FMHUD under the leadership of the Hon Minister,  Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa to actualize the Renewed Hope Urban Renewal and Development Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,  GCFR

Nov

18

2024

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.