Housing Ministry, NDDC Explores Partnership Opportunities For Housing Schemes 

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) are exploring areas of mutual cooperation in the provision of affordable housing for the Niger Delta region.

This was the outcome of the meeting between the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku and the Housing Minister, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa.  

The MD NDDC paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development to discuss areas of common interest between the two government agencies.

Some of the key aspects of the NDDC mandates include: infrastructure development; human capital development,  environmental management, master planning and social welfare for the citizens of the region.

In his remarks, Minister Dangiwa highlighted the importance of the NDDC as a critical intervention institution in Nigeria, serving communities for nearly 25 years and contributing to the country’s economic lifeblood.

“Your ongoing reforms to complete abandoned projects, improve transparency, and strengthen governance are truly commendable, they embody the results-oriented, accountable, and people-focused service that this administration expects from every federal agency, he added.

The Minister noted that the both institutions shared a common vision of improving living conditions through housing, infrastructure, and sustainable community development.

He said, “While your mandate focuses on the Niger Delta region, our Ministry provides the national frameworks and standards that can help amplify your impact”.

Dangiwa told the MD that, the Ministry, under the first phase of Renewed Hope Housing Programme is currently constructing three housing estates comprising 250-unit each in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Warri in Delta State and in Bende, Abia State, in the Niger Delta region.

“Across the country, we are currently implementing the first phase of the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates programme with 17 active construction sites, delivering a total of over 10000 units nationwide", Dangiwa stated.

Accordingly, he informed that Port Harcourt, Rivers state, was in view as one of the next sites for a Renewed Hope City, as part of the Ministry’s multi-city rollout; according to him, “this city will adopt the same integrated model we are building in Abuja, Kano, and Lagos states”.

The Minister further highlighted possible areas for collaboration between the two parties to include; co-developing affordable, climate-resilient housing prototypes, tailored to the unique terrain of the Niger Delta communities, aligning NDDC’s community infrastructure projects with the National Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrade Programme.

Others are joint training and certification of Niger Delta youths in construction-related trades through the National Artisan Skills Acquisition Programme, joint land administration and spatial planning support to promote organized and resilient settlements in NDDC community development projects, among others.

The Minister assured the MD of the readiness of the Ministry to support the regional commission in its quest of providing affordable and decent housing for its citizens in fulfilment of part of its mandate.

Earlier In his remarks, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, infomed that the purpose of their visit was to explore partnership opportunities especially in housing schemes to achieve the government’s Renewed Hope Housing agenda, for the people of the Niger Delta.

He highlighted the importance of partnerships, particularly inter agency collaborations, stating that they make projects faster and cheaper.

While emphasizing on the role of effective mortgage systems in reducing corruption by providing affordable housing options, the MD acknowledged the presence of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) in the meeting, saying that creating subsidies will make mass housing more affordable.

Dr. Ogbuku further expressed the commitment of his team to collaborate with the Ministry to achieve the government's housing goals.

The Executive Director, Business Development and Portfolio Management, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Mrs. Chinyere Chinedu Anosike, commended the MD of the NDDC for his contributions at the commission so far.

She noted that the bank has many projects in the Niger Delta area, and expressed their readiness to collaborate with the NDDC on the projects.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry,  Dr. Shuaib Belgore, noted the alignment of NDDC's mandate with that of the ministry in providing affordable housing, and facilitating urban development, across the country.

Represented by the Director office of the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Funsho Alabi, Belgore acknowledged the importance of effective collaboration among government institutions, saying that "it's key to achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu".

“We in the Ministry are keen to explore areas of mutual cooperation with the NDDC, especially in the provision of mass and social housing, urban regeneration, and sustainable settlement planning within the Niger Delta region”, he stated.