The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Darma said the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme was targeting 100,000 housing units across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He disclosed this in Abuja during the joint commemoration of the 2026 World Habitat Day and World Cities Day under the global observance of Urban October with the theme: “Adequate Housing for all.”
According to the Minister who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Dr Abba Yakubu, the Nigerian Government has delivered more than 240 urban renewal and slum-upgrading projects nationwide, with over 100 others underway, as it intensifies efforts to address the country’s housing crisis, improve urban infrastructure and promote sustainable cities.
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Darma said government was implementing reforms to expand access to decent and affordable housing, improve urban infrastructure and promote sustainable human settlements under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said the reforms included strengthening housing institutions, improving land administration, promoting physical planning and establishing local building-materials manufacturing hubs.
Darma cited the groundbreaking of the 250-unit Renewed Hope Civil Service Estate at Dukpa, Gwagwalada, in August as part of efforts to expand homeownership.
However, he acknowledged that high interest rates, limited long-term funding, strict eligibility requirements and low mortgage penetration continued to prevent many Nigerians from buying homes.
He said that to address these challenges, the ministry is strengthening housing finance institutions, promoting rent-to-own arrangements and encouraging public-private partnerships.
Darma called for stronger enforcement of building standards, including the modernisation of the National Building Code. He also stressed the need for a reliable National Housing Data Bank to guide investment and policy decisions.
The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Atta, said the government was strengthening cooperation with state governments, financial institutions, property developers and other stakeholders to accelerate affordable housing delivery.
Atta who was represented by His Special Assistant on International Cooperation, Dr Edna Tobi said the government was also prioritising the completion of viable ongoing and abandoned housing projects, the rehabilitation of existing housing assets and the transparent allocation of completed homes to deserving beneficiaries.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Shehu Usman Osidi, said the bank financed 6,911 affordable housing units in 2025, achieving 96 per cent of its annual target of 7,200 units.
He disclosed that the bank approved more than ₦208 billion in housing and mortgage loans during the period, with over ₦120 billion disbursed.
“The funding supported housing construction, mortgage financing, home renovation, cooperative housing and rent-to-own initiatives,” he said
Osidi said the bank would begin implementing its non-interest mortgage product and rent assistance scheme before the end of October.
According to him, the initiatives are intended to expand housing finance options and ease rent-payment pressures on federal civil servants.
Osidi said the bank would continue working with the housing ministry and other stakeholders to make homeownership more accessible.
The Chief Technical Advisor and Head of the UN-Habitat Nigeria Country Office, Niina Rinne, said Nigeria needed to look beyond building houses and focus on creating better neighbourhoods and cities.
She warned that poorly located housing developments could increase transportation costs, strain infrastructure and expose communities to environmental risks.
