Housing Minister Vows End To ‘Business As Usual’ Plans 15,000 Homes Verification

Nigeria’s housing sector received a major boost on Tuesday as the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, vowed to end “business as usual” in the ministry and promised practical reforms that would accelerate housing delivery across the country.

Speaking at the Renewed Hope Housing PPP Summit held in Abuja, Darma declared that his administration would focus on implementation rather than endless policy discussions, insisting that the housing sector could no longer afford “another gathering of talks, talks and talks.”

The minister, who disclosed that he had spent less than two weeks in office, abandoned his prepared speech and instead delivered an unscripted address outlining his immediate priorities for the ministry. He said he would complete consultations and briefings with agencies and departments before unveiling a one-year strategic roadmap for the sector before the end of May.

Darma also revealed that officials had informed him that over 15,000 housing units were currently available nationwide under various government programmes.

He, however, said he would personally embark on inspections across the country beginning next week to confirm the projects’ existence and readiness for occupation.

According to him, if the figures are verified, more than 60,000 Nigerians could gain access to housing within the next three months, based on an average household size of four persons per family. He stressed that his leadership would prioritise transparency, accountability and practical delivery rather than “paper claims.”

The minister further assured stakeholders that his administration would strengthen collaboration with the private sector and improve coordination among public institutions to drive housing development and restore confidence in the built environment sector.

Earlier, convener of the summit and housing expert, Olayemi Rotimi-Shodimu, said Nigeria’s housing sector had entered a decisive phase following reforms aimed at unlocking private capital, improving land administration and expanding large-scale housing delivery.

Rotimi-Shodimu noted that the focus must now shift “from frameworks to implementation, from intent to execution, and from policy to projects.” He explained that the summit was designed to bring together policymakers, developers, financiers and institutional investors to structure viable Public-Private Partnerships capable of delivering affordable housing at scale.

In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Shuaib Belgore, said the summit came at a critical time when the Federal Government was intensifying efforts to translate housing policies into tangible results for Nigerians.

Belgore disclosed that the ministry had already commenced large-scale housing projects in Abuja, Lagos and Kano through PPP arrangements and direct government interventions, adding that the initiatives were creating jobs, stimulating local economies and expanding access to affordable homeownership.

Also speaking, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Shehu Usman Osidi, revealed that the bank had approved a N100 billion off-taker guarantee to support developers under the Renewed Hope Housing Programme, with projects currently ongoing in Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Maiduguri.

Osidi further disclosed that the bank had committed N27 billion to the Ibeju-Lekki Renewed Hope City project in Lagos and N19.9 billion to the Karsana Renewed Hope City project in Abuja, while 420 mortgage applications valued at N14.2 billion had already been approved for Nigerians seeking homes under the programme.