Housing Ministry Introduces Monitoring, Review Mechanism on Housing Council Resolutions    * Concerned about non implementation of Council resolutions over the years    Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is set to introduce a mid term monitoring and review mechanism that will ensure effective implementation of resolutions of the meeting of National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development being organised by the Ministry, annually.   Permanent Secretary, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi stated this in his remarks during the meeting of the body of Permanent Secretaries at the ongoing 13th meeting of the Council in Gombe state. Wednesday, November 13th, 2024.   The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is the Chairman of the body of Permanent Secretaries in the Council, and it's resolutions will be presented to the ministerial body of states commissioners for deliberations and adoption.   Ogunbiyi explained, that the Ministry is setting up measures to ensure comprehensive compliance with Council resolutions by all stakeholders in the housing sector, in order to advance the nation’s housing agenda.   The theme for the 13th (2024) meeting is "Housing the Future: Affordable Housing for Economic Growth, Climate Resilience and Urban Development".   " Concerned with the non-implementation of Council resolutions over the years, the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development sponsored a memo this year to seek the approval of Council for the mid-term monitoring of the implementation of Council resolutions.  I am happy to inform you that the Technical Session held yesterday accepted the prayers and this will be presented to the body of Permanent Secretaries today", he stated.   He reminded the Permanent Secretaries that the meeting serves as a powerful reminder on collective responsibility to advance the development of the Housing and Urban Development sector in Nigeria.   Outlining some challenges facing the housing sector, Ogunbiyi listed, shortages of affordable housing, rapid urbanization, and poor access to land.   He then highlighted the initiatives of the Ministry to tackle the challenges to include; Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Housing Programme, which he noted has seen significant progress in housing development across all geo-political zones of the country.   In addition, he stated the initiative of the ministry to establish the National Housing Data Center aimed at creating a comprehensive housing data framework to support housing policy and planning.    He explained that the Steering Committee on the Housing Data which he chaired was charged with the responsibility of providing direction and oversight for the collection of National Housing Data from Public and Private Institutions and creating access to housing data in Nigeria for Policy, Planning and decision-making.     “This Committee has already mandated its Technical Working Group (TWG) to come up with the Governance and Data Gathering Frameworks and modalities for setting up the National Housing Data Center (NHDC).  This Programme is among some of the key initiatives of the Ministry geared towards the achievement of our mandate", he remarked.   Stressing the need for stronger public-private partnerships, innovation, and community engagement to meet the urgent demands for affordable and sustainable housing, he described the theme of the Council meeting as a call to action and not just a topic for discussion, urging stakeholders to bring their expertise to drive meaningful development    Speaking earlier, the Commisioner Ministry of Works, Housing and Transporrtation, Gombe, Engr. Usman Kallamu, said the council meeting affords delegates to identify the importance of affordability in Nigerian’s economic and urban development, urging participants to actively participate, share their insights and collaborate towards achieving the objectives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Paper pesentations on: Building Collapse and Mortgage Registry Administration were respectively made by the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) and Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN). On building collapse, it was noted that failure to engage appropriate building supervisors, pressure to rush the design, non-engagement of professionals, lack of appropriate technology and professionals manning the building permit agency, use of substandard building materials, among others are causes of building collapse in Nigeria.   ...

Housing Sector Experts, Stakeholders Converge for National Housing Council in Gombe * Affordable housing for Nigerians, building collapse menace, key topics for discussion Regulatory agencies, Professional bodies and stakeholders in the Nigeria housing  sector have converged in Gombe, Gombe State capital for the 13th Meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development. Organised by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the13th Council meeting themed "Housing the Future: Affordable Housing for Economic Growth, Climate Resilience and Urban Development" would last till Friday,  November 15th, 2024. It is a meeting of stakeholders in the housing sector to review and discuss issues confronting the sector, exchange ideas and proffer solutions to move the sector forward. Participants at the meeting include: States' Honourable Commissioners, federal and States Directors in the built environment,  States' Surveyors- General, General Managers/CEOs of Housing Coorperatios,  Permanent Secretaries, Professionals and Regulatory bodies in the housing sector. In a key note address, the Commissioner, Gombe State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation, Engr. Usman Maijama'a Kallamu, stated that the meeting would reveal the importance of affordable housing as a driver of economic growth, tool to mitigate climate and foster sustainable urban development. " Our collective goal is to provide opportunity for every individual to have access to safe, decent and affordable  housing" he remarked. In a welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Gombe State Ministry of Works,  Housing and Transportation, Danladi Adamu, charged the delegates with the provision of mechanism to attract, increase, encourage and promote domestic sector investment in the housing sector, urging them to ensure the growth of best practices in the building sector to address incessant building collapse in the country. In his introductory remark, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Mohammed Bala Saulawa, explained that the Council meeting was structured into three sessions namely; the technical session of the directors, the session of the body of Permanent Secretaries under the Chairmanship of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, and the Ministerial/States Commissioners session which is presided over by the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development. Saulawa further stated that, the National Council on Lands Housing and Urban Development is the highest body in policy making for lands, housing and urban development matters in Nigeria. He urged participants to display a high level of professionalism in their deliberations, noting that,  the technical session is expected to come up with solutions to the critical areas that will enhance housing affordability, provide equilibrium in demand and supply of housing market and tackle rapid increase in building collapse in Nigeria On building collapse, Saulawa pointed out that, it is not only about the building itself, rather the lives that are being lost and properties wasted, noting that council will come up with the policy that would help to curb the menace of building collapse in Nigeria. He further revealed that the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa has recently inaugurated the building collapse tribunal, aimed at ensuring that anyone found wanting of the established laws will be sanctioned. The Council meeting affords experts from different field in the built environment the opportunity to share their wealth of experiences ranging from housing finance, prevention of building collapse, effective and efficient way of ensuring compensation for lands to the beneficiaries, among others.   ...

Dangiwa Urges African Housing Ministers to Implement New Urban Agenda Initiatives *Pledges Nigeria’s Commitment to Sustainable Urbanization Cairo, Egypt – November 7, 2024 - At the African Ministerial Caucus of the 12th World Urban Forum, held in Cairo, Egypt, Nigeria's Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, called on African nations to intensify their efforts in implementing the New Urban Agenda initiatives. Dangiwa emphasized the critical need for sustainable urban development across Africa, affirming Nigeria’s commitment to achieving these goals through collaborative action, innovative financing, and robust public-private partnerships. The African Ministerial Caucus had in attendance Ministers of Housing, Land, and Urban Development from numerous African countries, including Uganda, Lesotho, Zambia, and Eswatini, who shared progress reports on their respective countries' strides in implementing the New Urban Agenda. Additionally, housing development finance institutions, including Shelter Afrique Development Bank, actively participated in discussions, underscoring the importance of financial partnerships in driving sustainable urbanization across the continent. In his address, Dangiwa highlighted the unified stance that African nations had adopted at the recent African Urban Forum in Addis Ababa, where countries pledged to fast-track Sustainable Development Goal 11 and align it with the African Union’s Agenda 2063. "Member states must continue to develop and implement comprehensive national plans integrating infrastructure, environmental stewardship, and economic growth to transform our cities into engines of prosperity," he stated. A key part of resolutions at the Forum was the importance of establishing national urban forums across Africa. These forums are to foster stakeholder dialogue towards sharpening national policies of member countries on urban planning, climate resilience, and economic inclusion, bolstering Africa’s ability to confront urban challenges through the Africa Urban Resilience Programme (AURP). The Hon. Minister also reiterate the need for transparent financial mechanisms and urged financial institutions to design innovative financing models that address low-income housing and promote sustainable economic growth. He pointed to Nigeria’s partnership with Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB), which mobilizes concessional funding to bridge Africa’s urban development financing gap, as an example for other nations. Dangiwa also shared Nigeria’s recent initiatives under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership, including the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Program aimed at providing 100,000 housing units nationwide. Nigeria’s commitment to sustainable urban development includes IFC EDGE partnerships that promote green building practices, urban renewal projects, and slum upgrades, demonstrating an integrated approach to enhancing urban environments. ...