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. ...

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. ...

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. ...