From Our Housing Stand (114)
A key pillar of the Renewed Hope Vision of President Bola Tinubu is housing and infrastructure development, which includes roads, bridges, airports, and dams. Consequently, the president demerged the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development from the Ministry of Works.
His next step was to appoint a team of proven professionals to lead the transformation of the sector.
Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, a seasoned administrator with over 30 years of expertise in management, real estate, mortgage financing, and housing development, was appointed as the Minister of Housing and Urban Development.
Since taking office in August 2023, Dangiwa has overseen the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in executing President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. In the months following his appointment, Dangiwa’s leadership has guided Nigeria’s housing and urban development sector toward a promising future with a clear and strategic vision.
A key component of this vision is the Renewed Hope Estates and City Development Plan, which forms an integral part of the ministry’s Strategic Housing Reform Plan under Dangiwa’s administration.
In December 2023, a Public-Private Partnership was signed between the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Continental Civil and General Construction, as well as Ceezali Limited, to deliver 100,000 houses nationwide as a pilot project.
Using the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), the ministry aims to provide enabling environments and facilitate off-takers for the houses, while developers acquire land and finance the construction. As a result, the government will be relieved of some of its financial burden, and citizens will have access to decent and quality homes.
The Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme is designed to drive economic expansion. The development of these new locales will create jobs, boost local businesses, and attract investments. In the first phase, the Ministry aims to provide 50,000 units, which will generate 1,250,000 jobs, both directly and indirectly, through the construction process. This includes the ripple effects from purchasing and supplying building materials, as well as the growth of businesses near the construction sites.
Furthermore, the programme aligns with the broader goals of the government for national progress and represents a significant step towards developing smart and modern cities capable of competing on an international scale, thereby attracting investments from both domestic and foreign sources.
The ceremonial start of the 3,112 housing units in Karsana, Abuja marks the beginning of many more projects. The Ministry has planned similar ceremonial starts for various other locations across the country as part of the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates initiative in the second quarter.
This includes 2,500 units in the Renewed Hope City housing project at Ibeju-Lekki Coastal City in Lagos, a 500-unit Renewed Hope Estate in Kano, and the construction of 250 units across twelve states (with approximately 83.33 units allocated to each geopolitical zone). Altogether, this represents a total of 6,000 housing units.
Under Dangiwa’s leadership, the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring that government investments in housing projects are well utilized. This dedication is evident in the efforts to guarantee the successful completion of all government-funded housing projects and to simplify the process for citizens to purchase these homes.
A prime example of this commitment is the practical measures implemented to expedite the sale and move-in process for 2,870 housing units constructed between 2017 and 2022 as part of the National Housing Programme (NHP).
Following the Ministry’s newspaper advertisements in November 2023 encouraging interested parties to apply, 8,925 Expressions of Interest were received. Of these, 1,294 indicated a desire to buy the houses outright, 2,408 considered mortgage alternatives, 2,184 chose the FMBN Rent-To-Own plan, and 3,039 were considering paying in installments.
For those interested in purchasing the finished homes outright, the Ministry recently announced that it has processed the first batch of Provisional Allocation Letters. Notably, the Ministry’s approach allows it to continue selling houses at the 2017 fixed prices despite rising building material costs.
The prices are as follows: a one-bedroom semi-detached bungalow for N9,268,751.80, a two-bedroom semi-detached bungalow (Type A) for N12,398,460.20, a two-bedroom semi-detached bungalow (Type B) for N10,833,606.00, and a three-bedroom semi-detached bungalow for N16,491,155.80. Condominium blocks are priced at N7,222,404.00 for one bedroom, N9,148,378.40 for two bedrooms, and N13,241,074.00 for three bedrooms.
Millions of Nigerians aspiring to own a home have cause for optimism due to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s enthusiastic drive to implement the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme and its dedication to ensuring the effectiveness and value of the National Housing Programme.
As a crucial part of facilitating affordable housing delivery, the minister has tasked the Urban and Regional Planning Directorate with collaborating with the National Assembly to develop an actionable framework for reviewing the Land Use Act of 1978.
Under the leadership of Architect Ahmed Musa Dangiwa as Minister of Housing and Urban Development, a new era of progress and innovation in the housing sector is emerging.
This administration emphasizes its commitment to addressing the critical housing and urban development challenges facing the country.
Arc. Dangiwa’s outstanding three-decade-long career, marked by his unrelenting devotion to quality, has had a profound influence in the fields of architecture, real estate, and public service.
Dangiwa’s track record reveals a man of commitment, foresight, and determination, whose resolve has significantly influenced Nigeria’s housing sector.
