The newly appointed Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaqa Rabe Darma, has officially resumed duty, pledging to integrate sustainability as a core factor in all bungalow programs and housing projects across the country.
Minister's Vision for Sustainable Housing
Speaking during his resumption in Abuja, Darma emphasized that all houses purchased by civil servants and individuals should be maintained by the occupants, and the Federal Government should not be expected to handle that aspect of the schemes. He highlighted plans to adopt leadership and cooperation strategies from other sectors to enhance housing construction efforts. The Minister called on critical stakeholders to engage with the Ministry to boost the nation’s housing stock.
Addressing the Housing Deficit
Regarding the current housing deficit, Darma noted that various figures have emerged from property experts, estimating the gap to be between 20 and 22 million units. He assured that the Ministry would work diligently to reduce this number and provide mass housing for Nigerians. “We will do everything possible to make affordable houses practical and a reality in Abuja city centre and other cities in Nigeria. Imagine, a one-bedroom apartment goes for between N5 and N6 million in Abuja, and we will leave no stone unturned to reduce that for low-income earners,” he added.
Collaboration with Stakeholders
The Housing Minister stated that they would gather briefs and good ideas from Directors to identify key indicators and drive progress in the housing sector. “We are all in the team, and we will approach housing delivery with President Bola Tinubu. We hope to understand our strengths and weaknesses to make affordability a reality in the built ecosystem,” Darma said.
Ministry's Past Achievements
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shaibu Belgore, while handing over to the new Minister, explained that the Ministry was created from the former Works and Housing Ministry in 2023 to address Nigeria’s housing and urban development needs. He thanked the immediate past Minister, Ahmed Dangiwa, for laying the foundation for the sector. Belgore noted that the Ministry has made a housing impact in 35 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), contributing to the growth of small-scale industries and the national stock. He assured the Minister of the staff's continued support for implementing national housing development projects to deliver affordable apartments to the people.
