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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The federal government has expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s expanding housing deficit, urging the built environment sector to offer practical solutions that strengthen land governance, rejuvenate cities and address the nation’s housing shortfall.
Speaking at the opening of the 14th National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development in Kwara State, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics of the Ministry, Muhktar Ilyasu Umar, stressed the need for actionable policies. “Industrialists should focus on effective land management, national land governance frameworks, promotion of local building materials and technologies, urban renewal and regeneration, public–private partnerships and innovative housing finance strategies,” he said.
He added that stakeholders must engage constructively, share best practices, and advance implementable recommendations capable of strengthening land governance, revitalising Nigerian cities, and improving citizens’ quality of life.
According to Ilyasu, the council meeting reaffirms the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive engagement, cooperative federalism, and evidence-driven policymaking as essential pillars for tackling housing and urban development challenges. “The meeting brings together critical stakeholders in the housing sector to chart a sustainable path for housing delivery, urban development, land administration, and management in Nigeria,” he said.
The council represents the apex advisory body for the sector, drawing commissioners, permanent secretaries, directors, state surveyors-general, and other key actors across the federation. The theme of this year’s meeting, “Achieving Housing Delivery and Sustainable Cities through Effective Land Management, Urban Renewal, Promotion of Local Building Materials, and Public–Private Partnerships in Nigeria,” highlights the urgency to respond to rapid urbanisation, population growth, climate change, and the growing housing deficit.
“The sessions will focus on critical sectoral issues, consider memoranda submitted by states and stakeholders, review the implementation of resolutions from the 13th Council Meeting in Gombe, and refine policy proposals for higher-level review,” the statement noted.
Dr. Segun Ogunsola, Kwara State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, described the theme as apt, aligning closely with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The 14th National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development is expected to produce far-reaching resolutions that will guide policy direction and implementation across all levels of government, offering a potential blueprint to close Nigeria’s persistent housing gap and foster sustainable urban growth.
