WASCA Confers Fellowship on Housing Ministry's Director of Press, Badamasi Haiba   The West African Society for Communication and Administration (WASCA) has conferred the prestigious Award of Fellow on Badamasi Salisu Haiba, Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to socio-economic development and his consistent demonstration of professionalism in the field of media and public communication.   The honour was bestowed during a formal induction ceremony organized by the board of WASCA, a respected sub-regional body committed to promoting global best practices in communication, management, and administration.    The Society plays a key role in fostering a socially and economically vibrant environment across West Africa and beyond.   Presenting the award, Mr. Simeon Charles, Fsca, Executive Secretary of WASCA, praised Mr. Haiba’s professional excellence and encouraged other inducted Fellows to take strategic actions that would reposition and promote the Nigerian economy within the subregion and globally.   "The responsibility now rests on communication professionals like you to reshape narratives, influence positive change, and drive socio-economic transformation through effective communication and strategic administration," Charles stated.   The fellowship award is one of WASCA’s highest honours, reserved for professionals who have demonstrated excellence in practice and contributed meaningfully to both the public and private sectors in West Africa.   For Mr. Haiba, the honour is both a validation and a new responsibility - to keep using the power of the pen and the reach of the media to shape a better society.   ...

Dangiwa Backs AHCN’s Ambitious Plan for Nationwide Affordable Housing   The Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to working closely with the Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria (AHCN) to deliver affordable homes to millions of Nigerians.    He described AHCN as a “critical partner” in driving nationwide housing delivery and pledged support for its landmark initiatives, including a proposed one million housing unit project across the country.   Receiving the newly elected AHCN leadership during a courtesy visit to the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, Dangiwa lauded the Association’s nearly six decades of contribution to public housing development.    He said its role as a coordinating platform for state housing corporations was central to achieving the ambitious goals of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for housing and urban development.   “Since its formation in 1964, AHCN has been a cornerstone of public housing delivery in Nigeria,” the Minister said.    “Today, we are pursuing the most ambitious housing programme in recent history, aimed at providing safe, decent, and affordable homes for millions of Nigerians. Our partnership with AHCN is key to unlocking serviced land, facilitating approvals, and ensuring that housing projects reach Nigerians in every state.”   Dangiwa welcomed AHCN’s plans to leverage Nigeria-China Bilateral Trade funding to deliver one million homes nationwide, describing the initiative as “bold, transformative, and perfectly aligned with President Tinubu’s vision for mass housing delivery.”   He also called for institutional renewal within AHCN, urging the leadership to embrace internal reforms, professionalism, and transparency to strengthen its effectiveness and credibility.    “To truly lead the charge in public housing development, AHCN must set a high bar for integrity, adopt modern governance structures, and operate with full transparency to build confidence among Nigerians, investors, and development partners,” he stated.   The Minister outlined three priority actions for AHCN: •    Reinforcing alignment among state housing corporations to eliminate fragmentation, improve efficiency, and ensure better coordination nationwide. •    Strengthening research and policy advocacy to provide reliable data and actionable proposals that will drive housing reforms at both state and federal levels. •    Deepening partnerships with the private sector and development finance institutions to create bankable housing ventures capable of attracting large-scale investment.   Dangiwa further requested AHCN’s strong involvement in the upcoming State-by-State Renewed Hope Homeownership and Housing Development Campaign, which he described as “a practical, high-impact initiative that will take federal housing reforms to the grassroots, empower citizens with the knowledge and access to financing they need, and ensure that national programmes translate into real homeownership opportunities in every state.”   In his remarks, AHCN President and Chairman of Council, Esv. Eno I. Obongha, commended the Honourable Minister for his tireless efforts to reform the housing sector.    He expressed the Association’s readiness to partner with the Ministry on the Renewed Hope Social Housing Estates Programme, aimed at delivering 100 housing units in each of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas, and formally introduced Rev. Dr. Ugochukwu Chime as the newly elected Chairman of AHCN’s Board of Trustees.   Rev. Dr. Chime praised Arc. Dangiwa’s transformative leadership of the housing sector, stating that the Minister’s bold reforms and nationwide initiatives have “set Nigeria on a new path towards accessible, affordable, and sustainable housing for all.”    He pledged his full support in ensuring that AHCN serves as a key partner to the Minister in actualising the Renewed Hope Agenda for housing.   As part of the visit, Arc. Dangiwa was decorated as the Grand Patron of AHCN, a recognition of his outstanding contributions to advancing Nigeria’s housing development agenda.   The Honourable Minister congratulated the new leadership team and expressed optimism that this renewed partnership-anchored on reforms, professionalism, and a shared vision - would “unlock the full potential of state housing corporations and accelerate the drive towards delivering decent, affordable housing for all Nigerians.” ...

Dangiwa Urges Innovation In Affordanle Mortgage Finance, Charges FMBN To Scale Impact.   The Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has called for bold, innovative solutions to tackle the affordability challenge in Nigeria’s housing market, emphasizing that millions of Nigerians still cannot access homeownership despite existing concessional mortgage products.   Speaking at the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) Day during the 19th Africa International Housing Show in Abuja, the Minister described affordability as the biggest barrier to homeownership, even in cases where housing units are available.    He noted that while FMBN provides single-digit interest rate mortgages at 6% per annum, with tenors of up to 30 years and flexible repayment structures under the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme, many Nigerians, including long-standing NHF contributors, remain unable to access these products.   “This is a reality we must face boldly. It requires fresh ideas, new partnerships, and innovative financing solutions beyond what we have done in the past,” Arc. Dangiwa said.   The Minister commended FMBN’s recent milestones, including the provision of mortgages, rent-to-own products, home renovation loans, delivery of housing units, digital service improvements, and NHF refunds, but stressed that “progress is not the destination; it is the foundation to build upon.”   Highlighting the Bank’s statutory mandate under the FMBN Act of 1993 to provide long-term credit to mortgage institutions, regulate the mortgage market, and administer the NHF sustainably, Dangiwa charged the Bank to intensify its efforts to make mortgages truly affordable for all Nigerians.   He proposed additional measures to scale impact, including:   •    Government-backed subsidies or interest buy-downs to further reduce mortgage rates. •    Flexible, income-based repayment models tailored to household realities. •    Stronger partnerships with development finance institutions and capital markets to mobilize cheaper, long-term funds. •    Specialized mortgage products for informal sector workers, who make up a significant portion of the population.   Arc. Dangiwa also stressed the need for a nationwide awareness campaign to ensure that all NHF contributors understand and access their entitlements.    He directed FMBN to play an active role in the planned Renewed Hope State-by-State Homeownership and Housing Development Campaign, working closely with governors to unlock land, structure bankable projects, and bring homeownership opportunities closer to citizens.   “FMBN remains our strongest instrument for delivering affordable mortgage finance in Nigeria. Its mandate is clear, its progress commendable, but the affordability challenge is far from solved. We must push harder, innovate more, and stay focused on ensuring every hardworking Nigerian has a fair and realistic chance to own a home,” he stated.   The Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Housing and Urban Development to provide the enabling policies, reforms, and institutional support needed to strengthen FMBN as the backbone of Nigeria’s affordable housing finance system.   ...