馃嚦馃嚞NigeriaWest Africa
New Housing Minister pledges collaborative approach to address Nigeria鈥檚 housing deficit and affordability
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
Muttaqha Darma, Nigeria's newly appointed Minister of Housing and Urban Development, has committed to a collaborative leadership strategy to tackle the nation's housing deficit and enhance affordability. Speaking at his handover ceremony in Abuja, Darma emphasized prioritizing cooperation with key stakeholders and setting measurable performance indicators. He urged stakeholders to hold him accountable for achieving these targets. The minister highlighted the significant housing shortfall, with estimates ranging from 14 million to 20 million units, and stressed the need for strategic planning and active engagement with industry players. He also expressed concern over the high cost of housing, particularly in major cities like Abuja, where a one-bedroom house can cost 25 million to 30 million, making it unaffordable for the middle class. Darma pledged to ensure housing affordability across Nigeria. Yusuf Ata, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, noted the ministry's achievements through Public-Private Partnerships, including large-scale housing projects under the Renewed Hope Housing Programme that created over 300,000 direct and indirect jobs. However, Ata acknowledged that funding challenges, such as inadequate and delayed budgetary allocations, continue to impede progress. He expressed confidence in Darma's ability to build on existing gains through sustained collaboration with private investors to deliver affordable housing and foster economic growth.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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