Housing Ministry Advances Efforts to Institutionalise Housing Data, Reveals 15.2 Million Inadequate Units  The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has disclosed that approximately 15.2 million housing units across Nigeria are structurally inadequate, highlighting a critical dimension of the country’s housing challenge beyond the construction of new homes. The disclosure was made by the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, during the presentation of the National Housing Data Initiative (NHD) by the National Housing Data Technical Committee at the Ministry’s Conference Room in Abuja.  The Committee was established in August 2024 to develop a harmonised national framework for housing data to support evidence-based housing policy, planning, and investment. According to the Minister, the findings confirm that Nigeria’s housing challenge is both quantitative and qualitative, with national housing deficit estimates varying depending on data sources and methodological approaches. “Beyond headline deficit figures, the application of harmonised and internationally recognised methodologies now allows us to state with clarity and confidence that Nigeria currently faces a housing inadequacy problem affecting approximately 15.2 million housing units nationwide,” the Minister said. The Minister explained that the 15.2 million inadequate housing units are homes that exist physically but fall below acceptable standards of safety, habitability, access to basic services, infrastructure, and durability. He noted that the findings were derived from the application of the Household Crowding Index, the Adequate Housing Index, and a Composite Index Methodology, supported by datasets from the National Population Commission (NPC), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and other housing sector institutions. “These findings clearly demonstrate that Nigeria’s housing challenge is not only about building new houses,” the Minister stated, “but equally about upgrading existing housing stock, regenerating deteriorated neighbourhoods, improving basic services and infrastructure, and ensuring dignity, safety, and adequacy in housing outcomes.” While highlighting the importance of the findings, the Minister emphasised that housing inadequacy represents only one dimension of Nigeria’s broader housing deficit.  He stressed the need to sustain the same level of analytical clarity across other critical areas, including absolute housing shortages, affordability gaps, access to land and secure tenure, availability and cost of housing finance, infrastructure and service deficits, regional and urban–rural disparities, as well as population growth rates, urbanisation trends, household formation patterns, and demographic projections. According to him, a holistic examination of these dimensions is necessary to accurately assess current needs, anticipate future demand, and design sustainable and responsive housing policies. The Minister formally accepted the presentation and report of the National Housing Data Initiative on behalf of the Ministry, describing it as “a major intellectual, technical, and institutional milestone” in Nigeria’s housing and urban development reform journey. He further disclosed that the Federal Government has commenced steps to institutionalise housing data through the establishment of a National Housing Data Centre, which will be domiciled within the Ministry in the short term and institutionalised through a Special Purpose Vehicle or statutory framework in the longer term. According to the Minister, the proposed Centre will create a permanent national institution capable of supporting housing policy formulation, investment decisions, access to housing finance, and housing delivery at scale. The Honourable Minister commended the National Housing Data Technical Committee, led by Mr. Taofeeq Olatinwo, and acknowledged the contributions of participating institutions, including FMHUD, NMRC, NBS, NPC, CBN, FMBN, FHA, Family Homes Funds Limited, REDAN, AHCN, MBAN, HDAN, and other industry experts. He announced that all Committee members and participating institutions will be issued formal Letters of Participation and Recognition by the Ministry in acknowledgement of their contributions to the report and its outcomes. The Minister noted that the National Housing Data Initiative aligns fully with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and strengthens government’s capacity to support affordable and social housing delivery, deepen access to housing finance, improve investor confidence, stabilise housing markets, and monitor outcomes with credibility and accountability. Describing the presentation as a turning point in Nigeria’s housing reform journey, the Minister stressed that data is no longer peripheral to housing delivery but central to it. “With the National Housing Data Initiative, Nigeria is better positioned to plan more accurately, invest more confidently, and deliver housing more effectively and equitably for Nigerians,” he said. In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Shuab Belgore, said the report of the National Housing Data Committee would be published and circulated to all relevant agencies to formally legitimise the work carried out by the committee. He also directed the Department of Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS) to follow up on the establishment of the Data Centre in the Ministry, as earlier recommended in the report, with a mandate to ensure it is ready by mid January, 2026. On his part, the Chairman of the National Housing Data Technical Committee, Taofeeq Olatinwo, noted that the housing deficit research involved the participation of various organisations, financial institutions, and industry experts, adding that the committee collaborated with the World Bank to ensure consistency and standardisation of the data. He explained the multidimensional index used in assessing key aspects of housing quality, including access to water, electricity, sanitation, and other basic services. He revealed that, based on the Adequate Housing Index, Nigeria’s housing deficit stands at 15.2 million units as of 2025, with Kano State recording the highest deficit and Bayelsa State the lowest. ...

Dangiwa Wins Transformational Africa Housing Minister of the Year Award, Calls for Continental Action on Housing   The Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, FNIA, FCIB, has been honoured with the Transformational Africa Housing Minister of the Year Award at the 2025 Africa Housing Awards & Industry End-of-Year Dinner, held at the Fraser Suites, Abuja, on Friday, 12th December 2025.   While accepting the award, the Minister described the recognition as a tribute to the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, whose Renewed Hope Agenda has placed housing and urban development at the centre of Nigeria’s economic transformation.   He stated that the award reflects a deliberate shift in Nigeria’s housing policy — from fragmented interventions to a structured national housing programme focused on scale, systems, and measurable impact.   Arc. Dangiwa noted that Africa’s housing crisis has reached a scale that requires urgent, coordinated action, stressing that housing is no longer a peripheral social issue but a central driver of economic growth, social stability, and human dignity.   According to him, over 54 million Africans currently live in urban slums, while the continent faces a housing shortfall of at least 51 million units, with a financing gap estimated at about $1.4 trillion. He warned that without accelerated solutions, Africa’s housing deficit could rise to about 130 million units by 2030.   Speaking on Nigeria’s progress, the Minister disclosed that in the last two years, the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has commenced over 10,000 housing units across 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory, while ongoing urban-renewal and slum-upgrade programmes have impacted more than 150 communities nationwide, delivering critical infrastructure, creating jobs, and strengthening local building-material value chains.   He commended the organisers of the Africa International Housing Show and the Africa Housing Awards, describing the platform as a vital engine for advocacy, accountability, and continuous sectoral engagement across Africa.   “Housing is more than buildings. It is dignity for families, security for communities, and opportunity for nations. It is also one of the strongest engines for jobs, value creation, and inclusive growth,” the Minister said.   Arc. Dangiwa emphasised that no country can solve Africa’s housing deficit alone, calling for deeper collaboration across governments, the private sector, financiers, and development partners. He stressed the need to treat housing as a continental productivity agenda, anchored on land-governance reform, bankable housing finance, climate-smart construction, sustainable urban planning, and strong local value chains.   Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment, the Minister pledged that the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development would continue to deepen continental partnerships, accelerate innovative housing-finance solutions, strengthen construction and sustainability innovations, and ensure that housing policies remain people-centred and dignity-driven.   Congratulating fellow award recipients from across the continent, Arc. Dangiwa said the recognition underscores what is possible when African-led solutions are matched with discipline, partnership, and political will. “Africa’s housing future will be built together — or not at all,” the Minister concluded. ...

Namibian Minister Commends Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Housing Programme, Applauds National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme   The Minister of Urban and Rural Development of the Republic of Namibia, Honourable Sankwasa James Sankwasa, has commended Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Housing Programme and applauded the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme, describing them as impactful policy instruments for expanding affordable housing and deepening homeownership.   Hon. Sankwasa made these remarks during a courtesy visit to the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, at his office in Abuja on Friday, December 12, 2025.   The Namibian Minister, whose portfolio oversees regional and local governance as well as housing development, noted that his Ministry plays a central role in tackling housing deficits and improving living conditions across Namibia.    He informed his host that he was in Nigeria to participate in the 2025 Africa Housing Awards and considered it important to engage the Ministry to exchange ideas and share experiences on affordable housing delivery.   Hon. Sankwasa explained that Namibia’s housing challenge is largely driven by the rapid growth of informal settlements. He stated that the Namibian Government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to address this, including free land titling for low-income citizens, structured identification of development zones, and the cultivation of strong partnerships with development partners.   According to him, development partners are deliberately integrated into Namibia’s national housing framework and budgetary planning, noting that while partners support housing construction, the Government of the Republic of Namibia assumes responsibility for the provision of critical infrastructure to make such developments sustainable and liveable.   Responding, the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, welcomed the Namibian delegation and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to South-South cooperation and knowledge-sharing in the housing and urban development sector.   Arc. Dangiwa highlighted the Renewed Hope Housing Programme as a flagship intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, designed to shift housing delivery in Nigeria from isolated projects to a coordinated national programme spanning Renewed Hope Cities, Renewed Hope Estates, Social Housing, urban renewal, and slum upgrading.   The Minister also underscored the strategic importance of the National Housing Fund (NHF) as a long-standing and sustainable housing finance mechanism that pools long-term funds to support affordable mortgages for Nigerian workers, while strengthening institutional delivery through agencies such as the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.   He assured the Namibian Minister of the Ministry’s readiness to share technical knowledge, policy frameworks, and implementation experience, noting that Africa’s housing challenge requires home-grown solutions, regional collaboration, and strong public-private partnerships. ...