Housing Ministry, Shelter Afrique Development Bank To Sign Historic Housing Development Agreement   *  partnership with ShafDB represents a key moment in our efforts to address Nigeria’s housing challenges - Dangiwa  *  We are committed to supporting Nigeria in achieving its housing and urban development goals - ShafDB CEO   The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is set to sign a landmark Housing Development Partnership Agreement with Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) on the sidelines of the Renewed Hope Housing PPP Summit, scheduled to hold on Monday, 17th March 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Center, Abuja.     This historic agreement marks a significant step towards addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit and advancing sustainable urban development across the country.   The partnership will leverage Shelter Afrique Development’s expertise in housing finance, advisory services, and technical assistance to support the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in delivering affordable, decent, and sustainable housing solutions for Nigerians.     Under this partnership, Shelter Afrique Development Bank will provide technical advisory services to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, focusing on several key areas, namely: to assist the government in conducting a comprehensive assessment of Nigeria’s housing market using its innovative “VIRAL” model.    This initiative will result in the drafting of a Country Housing Deficit Reduction Strategy Paper (CHUPS), aimed at scaling up the development of affordable and decent housing programs nationwide.     In addition, Shelter Afrique Development Bank will propose three Public-Private Partnership (PPP) transaction models to the Ministry. These models will focus on designing, mobilizing funding, and executing land development and affordable housing projects for low-income households.   They will also address urban renewal programs, including the redesign and reconstruction of old housing estates, the elimination of slums and shanty towns, and the transformation of slum areas by creating new urban units across Nigeria.     To ensure the successful implementation of these projects, Shelter Afrique Development Bank will assist the Ministry in identifying and selecting strategic private sector partners with proven expertise in the development, financing, construction, and maintenance of large-scale affordable housing projects.   Similarly, the partnership will include capacity-building initiatives such as training, workshops, seminars, and policy development exercises to enhance the Ministry’s ability to address housing challenges and promote sustainable urban development.     The intervention by Shelter Afrique Development Bank will also focus on setting up PPP-based transaction models for the mass production of affordable housing units. This includes structuring market-attractive PPP transactions for large-scale housing and urban renewal projects, developing an operational framework to match supply and demand for affordable housing using the VIRAL model, and assisting the government in raising funds for housing projects and urban development initiatives.     This collaboration aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes affordable housing and sustainable urban development as key drivers of economic growth and social inclusion. By leveraging Shelter Afrique Development Bank’s expertise and resources, the Ministry aims to significantly reduce Nigeria’s housing deficit and improve the living conditions of millions of Nigerians.     The Honorable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has emphasized the importance of this partnership, stating, “This collaboration with Shelter Afrique Development Bank represents a key moment in our efforts to address Nigeria’s housing challenges. By combining our resources and expertise, we are poised to deliver affordable, decent, and sustainable housing solutions that will transform communities and improve the quality of life for all Nigerians.”     Similarly, the CEO of Shelter Afrique Development Bank, Mr. Thierno Habib Hann has expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, saying, “We are honored to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development on this transformative initiative. Shelter Afrique Development Bank is committed to supporting Nigeria in achieving its housing and urban development goals, and we look forward to working together to create lasting impact across the country.”     The signing ceremony will take place during the Renewed Hope Housing PPP Summit on Monday, 17th March 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Center, Abuja. The event will bring together key stakeholders from the public and private sectors to discuss innovative solutions for addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit.     Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) is the Pan-African Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) dedicated to promoting and financing sustainable green housing, urban development and related infrastructure. It operates through a shareholding of 44 African governments and two institutional shareholders: The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa-Re).   The institution is involved in financing housing and related infrastructure across the value chain, both on the demand and supply sides, through its four (4) business lines: Financial Institutions Group (FIG), the Project Finance Group (PFG), the Sovereign and Public-Private partnerships (PPP) Group, and the Fund Management Group (FMG). ...

Housing Ministry Supports BUMPAN On Local Building Materials Needs of Nigerians    Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Shuaib Belgore has restated the commitment of the federal government to solving the Building Material needs of Nigerians.     Belgore reiterated this when he received the President of Building Materials Producers Association of Nigeria (BUMPAN), Abdulhakeem Huthman and members of his Association on a visit to the Ministry.   "The Ministry is interested in Partnering with the Association in ensuring that most building materials are built in Nigeria", he stated.   Belgore explained that made in Nigeria building materials such as tiles, POP, carpet, cement and others will be looked into as it promotes and expands local manufacturers.     He told the Association that in building 10,000, 20,000 homes and above, Nigerian made doors, tiles, glass, keys, as well as window frames etc can be used, stating that it will further help in creating more jobs for both manufacturers, builders, artisans and others at large.    The Permanent Secretary noted that the ministry is open to Public Private Partnership (PPP), with the departments of Public Building and Procurement, serving as committees to further advance the solution to local building material needs and  housing problems in Nigeria, urging the Association to work with the ministry to ensure more Nigerian building materials needs are timely provided.   "The Committee will also use all incentives available in the ministry to look into partnership with the hubs in order to solve the housing problem and creating more jobs" he remarked.   Earlier, the President of the Building Materials Producers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Abdulhareem Huthman, explained that their Association seeks the assistance of the Ministry to enable them establish a Secretariat and appoint an executive to run the affairs of the Association for the purpose of commitment and seriousness.    Abdulhareem added that BUMPAN will welcome the role the ministry will play in the building material production as it is calling on the ministry for support.    The President of the Association stated that in the 4th quarter of the year, evaluation of the total number of building materials manufactured can be done in order to understand the progress level of the local manufacturers.   He further noted that the link between private and public sector are wide because they are not guided, stating that the Association cannot continue to export jobs while local producers are struggling.  ...

HOUSING MINISTRY TO CREATE DIGITAL PLATFORM FOR ARTISANS    * Technology will serve as online market place to make trained artisans accessible and efficient - Dangiwa    Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa has disclosed the plan of the Ministry to create an online application for skilled workers, aimed at leveraging technology to make artisans more visible, accessible and efficient in delivering their services.   The Minister made this disclosure when he received rlthe Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industrial Training and Development, Hon. Adamson Ayinde and his team on a courtesy visit at the Ministry’s headquarters, Abuja.   He explained that the digital platform to be named ‘Uber for Artisans’ will serve as an online market place where trained and certified artisans can connect with potential customers, adding the platform would enhance the earning potential of artisans and ensure that customers have access to skilled professionals for their construction needs.   “I believe that the Uber for Excel platform will be a game changer in the construction industry, as it will not only bridge a gap between supply and demand, but also promoting transparency and quality service delivery”, he hoped.   He commended the passion and proactive initiatives of the office of the SSA, which aligns with the Federal government’s agenda, particularly in vocational training, skills acquisition and youth empowerment.   Dangiwa restated that the Ministry of Housing, Urban Development, was driving the President's vision for addressing the housing deficit in Nigeria through renewed housing programs which aims to build seven cities, one in each geo political zone of the country and FCT, and 30 renewed hope estates across the country.   He informed that construction work was ongoing at 14 sites for 10,112 housing units, with significant portions expected to be commissioned within the next couple of months, providing jobs for over 252,000 Nigerians.   Stating further that construction sites were a source of employment for various skilled and unskilled laborers, the Minister noted that the quality of work done by these artisans were crucial to delivering decent and quality housing to Nigerians.   To this effect, He revealed that the Ministry has conceived the National Artisan Skill Acquisition Program (NASA) to address the shortage of skilled artisans in the construction industry and provide sustainable livelihoods for young Nigerians.   The Minister said the NASA program to be launched within the year aims to equip youths with construction-related skills such as plumbing, electrical works, masonry, carpentry, among others. “These skills are not only essential for construction sector, but also contribute to the economic, overall economic development of our nation”, he added.   The Minister also explained that the program will work with relevant government agencies, institutions, and the private sector to train and certify artisans. Accordingly, Arc. Dangiwa informed that the  ministry was in the process of completing and habitating its vocational training centers in various locations, including Abuja, Lagos and Imo states.   Expressing happiness that the SSA and his team has visited some of the centers, the Minister said that the ministry intends to rehabilitate some of the institutions within the next couple of months, pointing out that the centers will serve as hubs for hands-on training and capacity building for artisans.   To achieve this, he said that a committee would be set up in the Ministry within a period of three months, with the format for the training, as well as engagement with relevant associations, including the relevant associations in the building industry.   Arc. Dangiwa further assured the team of the Ministry's full support and cooperation in achieving the shared goals of both parties.   Speaking earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industrial Training and Development, Hon. Adamson Ayinde, commended the Minister for his efforts in advancing the Renewed Hope Housing Development program.    While acknowledging the Minister’s leadership and the sustainable housing solutions, he highlighted key challenges which includes a shortage of skilled artisans.   To address this, He informed that his office was collaborating with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), and the department of Federal Public Assets Maintenance (FPAM) to propose a six-month training and certification program for Nigerian artisans.    He noted that the initiative aims to strengthen the local workforce, enhance construction quality, and ensure Nigerian artisans can compete internationally.    Hon. Ayinde further told the Minister that a formal proposal outlining the implementation framework, training curriculum, and expected outcomes would be submitted.   Also earlier in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry Dr. Shuaib Belgore, reiterated the ministry's unwavering commitment to providing affordable housing for Nigerians, in line with the vision of President Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.   While emphasizing that the ministry's primary mandate was to ensure the availability of affordable housing for all citizens, he assured the delegates that the ministry was actively engaging in numerous housing development projects across the country in order to achieve President Bola Anmed Tinubu's goal.   "We are actively carrying out multiple housing development projects nationwide, and our efforts are yielding positive results," he stated. ...