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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The Federal Government has identified persistent challenges, including limited access to land, high construction costs, weak land documentation, inadequate mortgage financing and skills gaps, as causes of the high housing deficit in the country.
Speaking at the ongoing National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development (NCLHUD) in Ilorin, Kwara State, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Shuaib Belgore, noted that the demerger of the ministry from the Ministry of Works was a deliberate step to reposition the housing sector for greater impact.
He observed that the ministry’s intervention in establishing local building materials manufacturing hubs is aimed at reducing construction costs and creating jobs, while calling on stakeholders to engage constructively on memoranda before the council to ensure actionable and co-ordinated outcomes nationwide.
According to him, effective co-ordination across all tiers of government, supported by the private sector, remains critical to addressing the nation’s housing deficit.
“Achieving sustainable housing delivery and functional cities begins with sound policy formulation, rigorous sectoral reviews and the implementation of actionable strategies,” Belgore said.
He explained that the council serves as the highest statutory policy advisory platform in the sector, bringing together key stakeholders to align national and sub-national actions around shared priorities for housing and urban development.
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The permanent secretary explained that the growing pressure on public resources has made Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) indispensable, stressing that “harmonised land administration systems, planning standards, financing frameworks, and delivery models are essential to creating a predictable, investor-friendly environment that accelerates housing supply.”
Commending the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, for the ongoing sectoral reforms, the permanent secretary highlighted land governance digitisation, urban renewal, promotion of local building materials and deepened PPPs as key drivers of sustainable housing delivery.
In his remarks, the Commissioner of Housing and Urban Development, Kwara State, Dr Segun Ogunsola, noted that Kwara State is not lagging behind with regard to urban development in line with global best practices in housing and urban development.
He argued that the 14th National Housing Council is coming at a time when managing urban sprawl amid population growth is fast becoming a major challenge.
In a statement, Ogunsola assured stakeholders that the Kwara State Government will work with the Federal Government via the Federal Housing Ministry to bridge the gap in the housing deficit and manage urbanisation across the state.
