In a major announcement, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has unveiled the Federal Government’s plans for a state-by-state homeownership and housing development campaign, a collaborative initiative with state governments, private developers, and development partners aimed at bridging policy execution gaps at sub-national levels.
He revealed the plan as he officially declared open the 19th Edition of the Africa International Housing Show (AIHS) in Abuja, reaffirming the commitment of the Federal Government under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to bridge Nigeria’s housing gap through bold, inclusive, and innovative reforms.
“We will embed Housing Reform Champions in State Governments, convene State Housing Roundtables, and provide hands-on support to structure viable housing projects and unlock financing opportunities,” the Minister explained.
Delivering his opening address before an audience of Ministers, Members of Parliament, Ambassadors, development partners, housing professionals, financial institutions, and private sector leaders from across Africa and beyond, Dangiwa stressed that affordability remains the biggest barrier to homeownership on the continent, despite growing housing supply efforts.
“Across Africa, millions of families still cannot afford decent homes even when they are available. This administration is not just building houses; we are fixing the structural and macroeconomic foundations that will make housing truly affordable and sustainable for Nigerians today and in the future,” the Minister said.
He highlighted the Federal Government’s three-tier Renewed Hope Housing Programme – comprising Renewed Hope Cities, Renewed Hope Estates, and Renewed Hope Social Housing Estates – as the blueprint for delivering affordable homes nationwide.
According to him, to date, over ₦70 billion in private capital has been mobilised under Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to drive large-scale urban housing developments.
The Minister also spotlighted key interventions by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), including the Rent-to-Own Scheme and Rental Assistance Product, designed to ease housing pressure on urban workers and young families, as well as the upcoming MOFI Real Estate Investment Fund (MREIF) to expand access to long-term mortgage loans at affordable rates.
He further reiterated the commitment of the Ministry to urban renewal and slum upgrades, aligning with the UN-Habitat Global Action Plan and the Addis Declaration on Inclusive Urban Development to ensure that “no one and no place is left behind.”
Dangiwa called on development finance institutions, donor agencies, and the private sector to partner with the Federal Government in transforming shared knowledge from forums like AIHS into tangible results for Nigerians.
“Housing is not a privilege. It is a right. When we invest in housing, we invest in people, jobs, cities, and our collective future,” he said.
