The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, today marked his second anniversary in office with a scorecard highlighting sweeping reforms and historic strides in addressing Nigeria’s longstanding housing and urban development challenges.
Appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on August 22, 2023, Arc. Dangiwa has in two years rolled out landmark initiatives under the Renewed Hope Agenda that have repositioned the sector and delivered tangible results in record time.
At the heart of his reforms is the Renewed Hope Housing Programme (REHHP), designed to directly tackle the country’s estimated 17 million housing deficit.
In just 24 months, over 10,000 housing units have been launched across 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory—far surpassing the 3,500 units delivered in the eight years preceding this administration.
Flagship projects include a 3,112-unit Renewed Hope City in Karsana, Abuja; 2,000 units in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos; 1,500 units in Kano alongside a 500-unit estate; and 250-unit estates in 12 states including Osun, Delta, Katsina, and Nasarawa.
Beyond building homes, the Ministry has intensified slum renewal and urban regeneration through the National Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrade Programme (NURSUP), which has already impacted over 150 communities with rehabilitated roads, drainage systems, water supply, solar lighting, schools, and health centres.
On housing finance, sweeping reforms at the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) have expanded single-digit mortgage loans, introduced zero-down-payment rent-to-own options, and unlocked more than ₦70 billion in private capital through innovative public-private partnerships.
For low-income households, the Ministry has launched the Renewed Hope Social Housing Programme, targeting 77,400 affordable homes—100 in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. The initiative is projected to create over 2 million jobs while spreading development into rural and peri-urban communities.
Recognising that access to land remains a major bottleneck, the Ministry is implementing the Nigeria Land Titling, Registration and Documentation Programme (Land4Growth) to digitise land registries and unlock more than $300 billion in dormant assets.
Complementing this is the establishment of the National Housing Data Centre (NHDC), which is set to provide Nigeria’s first centralised, real-time housing and land development database.
Other notable initiatives include:
Plans to establish Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs across all six geopolitical zones to cut construction costs by up to 25%.
The Housing Fraud Reporting Platform (HFRP) to curb fraudulent schemes.
The Safeguarding FG Lands Initiative, which is recovering encroached federal lands for redevelopment.
The National Artisan Skills Acquisition Programme (NASAP – CraftHub) to train thousands of young Nigerians in construction trades.
International partnerships have also been strengthened, with a landmark deal with Shelter Afrique Development Bank to finance 5,000 homes, alongside collaborations with UN-Habitat and the World Bank to scale reforms.
Reflecting on the two-year milestone, Arc. Dangiwa stated:
“We inherited a housing sector riddled with systemic challenges. In just two years, through the support of Mr. President and our partners, we have rolled out strategic programmes that are delivering results. We are not just building houses; we are building hope, dignity, and prosperity for millions of Nigerians. And we are only just beginning.”
As he enters his third year in office, the Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to scaling up housing delivery under the Renewed Hope Agenda to ensure every Nigerian, regardless of income, has access to a decent home.
— Mark Chieshe, Special Assistant, Media & Strategy to the Honourable Minister
