By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Federal government has called for Public Private Partnership investment for housing financing for urban development.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Architect Ahmed Dangiwa, who disclosed this during the celebration of this year’s World Habitat Day/World Cities Day, organized by his ministry in Abuja, said financing for affordable housing and urban infrastructure remains the cardinal focus of his ministry.
He said urban dwellers are now accounted for 50% of Nigeria our population. And we expected to increase by 60% urban dwellers upsurge by 2030, saying that it is paying attention to the issues and challenges of urbanization in the country.
Represented by the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Gwarzo, Dangiwa said: “The Federal government of Nigeria is paying very thoughtful attention to the issues and challenges of urbanization in the country.
“ The issue of financing for affordable housing and urban infrastructure remains the cardinal focus of the ministry and we solicit collaborations and partnerships from our development partners and other stakeholders.
“… As you may be aware urbanization has become one of the most transformative forces shaping our world in this 21st century. It is a phenomenon that can be harnessed to enhance economic productivity, inclusive growth, and environmental sustainability. Urban dwellers now account for more than 50 percent of Nigeria’s population and are expected to increase to 60 percent by the year 2030.
“It is our duty therefore to make adequate preparations for the expected upsurge of the population in our towns and cities through effective urban planning and management and building the needed resilience and innovations to absorb the expected shocks.
“We envisage an urban future where economic growth and prosperity proceed with equity; one where human exploitation of the natural environment is carried on sustainably; and one where poverty and inequality are attenuated by strong human-centered policies.
“Provision of adequate and affordable housing in both urban and rural areas in the secure, healthy, and decent environment for all Nigerians is the primary mandate of this ministry and equally one of the cardinal focuses of the present administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Therefore, the issues of Housing and Urban Development are being given the deserved attention. We therefore call for Private sector investments in the sector by leveraging on the Ministry’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement already in place”.
The UN-Habitat Executive Director , said Maimunah Sharif “ We need a new financing framework for sustainable urban development to reverse this trend. We are need to invest in integrated planning and turbocharge our commitment to shelter and housing as a human right .
She said it is important to flip the script and change narratives about cities.
“The time for action is now , we need to invest in our urban future .We need a new financing framework to unleash the potential of our cities “.
Similarly, Secretary-General United Nations , Anthonio Gutierrez in his Message for the world, he said this year’s World Habitat Day focuses attention on ‘Resilient Urban Economies’ and the potential of cities as drivers of inclusive, green, and sustainable growth.
He emphasized that to fulfil this promise, cities must confront a range of challenges – from economic shocks and escalating climate emergencies to widening inequalities.
“Through our Local 2030 Coalition, we are mobilizing the entire United Nations system to tackle these crises from the ground up and advance sustainable urbanization.
Local zero waste initiatives are supporting the creation of circular economies. Public efforts to expand green spaces help cool urban landscapes during heatwaves”.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Senator Gbenga Ashafa, called for a more secure and habitable society as agreed to at the 1985 Nations General Assembly.
He said: “The time is now for us to make our environment more habitable, secure, and environmentally sustainable as the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 40/202 of 17 December 1985 presupposes.
“The theme of this year’s celebration, which is “Resilient Urban Economies: Cities as Drivers of Growth and Recovery’ is quite apt and most relevant to our nation. One of the ways of recovering from the current global economic meltdown we are facing as a nation due to our overdependence on crude oil export is to diversify to housing construction.
“The government has to make a concerted and deliberate effort at urban development, through the building of new cities and regenerating of the old ones. Through this, not only will we provide houses to our people, we will also deliver a more liveable and secure environment to them”.
Also speaking, the managing director/ chief executive of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria ( FMBN), he said the current realities are going to change on their own, without necessary collaboration and collective action between the various key players in the urban development and housing industry.
He said with at multilateral and bilateral action will prove to be far more effective as opposed to unilateral initiative and thankful, we are experiencing more of such inter-linked activities between government and institutions, between the public and private sectors .
