The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has reaffirmed its commitment to policy harmonisation and deeper Public-Private Partnerships as key strategies to fast-track housing delivery and promote sustainable urban development in Nigeria.
The permanent secretary of the Ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, stated this on Wednesday in Ilorin, Kwara State, at the 14th meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development. He said effective coordination among federal, state and local governments, supported by strong private-sector participation, remains critical to addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit and building functional and resilient cities.
Belgore described the Council as the highest statutory policy advisory body in the sector, noting that it provides a platform for aligning national and sub-national policies on housing, land administration and urban development. He said growing pressure on public finances has made Public-Private Partnerships indispensable, stressing that harmonised land administration systems, planning standards, financing frameworks and delivery models are essential to attracting investment and accelerating housing supply.
He identified major challenges confronting the sector, including limited access to land, high construction costs, weak land documentation, inadequate mortgage financing and skills gaps across the housing value chain. Belgore added that the demerger of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development from the Ministry of Works was intended to reposition the housing sector for greater impact and focused policy execution.
The permanent secretary also highlighted ongoing reforms under the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, including the digitisation of land governance, urban renewal initiatives, the promotion of local building materials and the establishment of manufacturing hubs aimed at reducing construction costs and creating jobs.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Kwara State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Dr Segun Ogunsola, said the state was committed to adopting global best practices in managing urbanisation. He pledged continued collaboration with the Federal Government to address housing deficits and curb urban sprawl across the state.
The discussions at the council meeting took place against the backdrop of broader developments across the housing, infrastructure and economic space, including communities hailing the Dangote Cement Obajana Plant Director over community development and corporate social responsibility projects, NLNG renewing its drive for capacity building at the 2026 Change Your Story Workshop, petroleum marketers demanding a definite timeline for the revival of government-owned refineries, and disclosures that European and Asian investors, among others, are participating in the Argungu Fishing Festival.
