By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa has inaugurated the Joint Steering Committee on housing data .
The newly formed Joint Steering Committee comprises of stakeholders from both public and private sectors, including the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, National Populations Commission, Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Mortage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Nigeria Mortage Refinance Company (NMRC) Family Homes Fund (FHF), Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN), Association of Housing Cooperation of Nigeria (AHCN) Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) among others.
The Minister said it has become very important for Nigeria to have a reliable housing data,in order to know the exact housing deficit in the country.
He admitted that there
are many issues in the housing sector that needs to be fixed.
He explained that the lack of credible, scientific and verifiable data on the state of housing in the country stands out as the most pressing and embarrassing situation.
“This is because, without data, we cannot know the magnitude of the problem we are facing, how much resources we need to allocate and for how long we can focus on areas and which markets to prioritize.
“we know we have a housing deficit and that we face the dual challenge of inadequate housing supply to meet population growth, coupled with substandard housing that does not meet the conditions of habitability, safety & security.
He said there is no industry acceptable data to illustrate this and guide the government.
“Housing agencies, and financial institutions both local and international are planning and outlining strategies to fix Nigeria’s housing problem.
“What we have had over decades are speculations and estimates.”
The minister stated that the Joint Committee is also mandated to set up a Technical Working Group (TWG) comprising data experts and professionals responsible for carrying out the detailed technical work required to meet the Committee’s deliverables. “This includes producing the blueprint for establishing the National Housing Data Centre, covering the technical and operational framework, financing, sustainable management and more.”
He expressed optimism that the committee’s work would pave the way for a more transparent and efficient housing market in Nigeria, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The timeline for the committee’s deliverables is set for six months, with specific milestone to be achieved within two to four months.
“I urge all the members to take this national assignment seriously. Let us work towards meeting them and charting a new and credible path forward for housing data acquisition, management and usage”.
