The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has launched a Housing Fraud Reporting web-based platform to allow citizens to report fraudulent activities in the housing and real estate sector.
The director of press and public relations of the ministry, Badamasi S Haiba, who, in a press statement yesterday in Abuja, revealed that the platform is with the sub-domain name https://reports.fmhud.gov.ng, also explained that the platform enables users to submit complaints and share relevant evidence and information on fraudulent practices in the real estate sector of the country.
In his remarks during the live presentation of the Fraud Detection and Reporting System Web Portal, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, stated that the ministry was guided by the 2012 National Housing Policy to commence firmer regulation of the housing industry.
“The policy mandates the government to establish an efficient administrative, legal and regulatory framework to enforce the control and monitoring of housing delivery, ensure that all persons who offer professional services in the built environment are properly registered with their professional bodies”, he stated
According to the minister, other mandates in the policy include strengthening oversight of estate developers through certification and regulation under the ministry’s authority and moving towards creating a National Housing and Urban Development Regulatory Commission to coordinate the sector overall.
“This will mean closer scrutiny of developers, tighter monitoring of real estate practices, and stronger enforcement against fraudulent actors”, he explained.
Dangiwa expressed optimism that the Housing Fraud Detection and Reporting Portal will help achieve the mandate. “It will empower Nigerians to report fraud, track cases, and strengthen transparency in real estate transactions,” he remarked.
While decrying that hardworking citizens have, over time, fallen prey to fraudulent practices, sharp operators, and unscrupulous individuals in the real estate industry, Dangiwa informed that the current administration, through the ministry, has taken bold steps to shine a light on the activities of real estate practitioners and to ensure that Nigerians are protected.
He further explained, “The Housing Fraud Detection and Reporting Portal provides a credible, safe, and transparent channel for Nigerians to report fraudulent practices, track cases, and help the government take decisive action against culprits”
Accordingly, the minister firmly warned that sharp practices will not be tolerated in the housing sector, adding that the Ministry will work with professional bodies, law enforcement agencies, and the judiciary to ensure that offenders face the full weight of the law.
