Housing stakeholders and advocacy groups have called on the incoming Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Darma, to prioritise sustainable housing delivery, infrastructure development, and policy continuity as he assumes office.
The appeal follows recent leadership changes in the ministry and growing concerns about the pace and structure of housing delivery across the country.
The Nathaniel Atebije Foundation for Planning Advocacy (NAFPA) urged the new minister to ensure continuity by retaining and completing ongoing housing projects while strengthening efforts to expand access to affordable housing.
According to the group, Nigeria’s housing challenges cannot be addressed by new initiatives alone, but by improving and sustaining existing programmes already in progress.
NAFPA’s Founding Director, Nathaniel Atebije, stressed that housing development must go beyond construction numbers and focus on planning, livability, and long-term sustainability.
He warned that without proper urban planning, housing projects risk becoming disjointed settlements lacking essential infrastructure.
“Housing must be guided by physical planning principles. If planning leads, housing succeeds. If it is ignored, the result is failure regardless of the number of units delivered,” he said.
Atebije further urged the minister to strengthen collaboration with the National Urban and Regional Planning Commission to ensure proper implementation of the National Physical Development Plan and regional development frameworks.
He also advised the government to prioritise serviced land with clear titles, improved mortgage systems, and affordable housing models that rely on locally sourced materials to reduce construction costs.
In addition, he called for a review of housing projects located in unsuitable areas such as floodplains or regions lacking basic access roads, as well as developments that may have bypassed statutory planning approvals.
“These issues must be addressed to ensure safety, accessibility, and long-term sustainability of housing developments,” he added.
Similarly, the Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria (AHCN) also urged Darma to maintain policy continuity while deepening reforms aimed at expanding affordable housing access across the country.
AHCN President, Eno Obongha, and Executive Secretary, Toye Eniola, emphasized that the housing sector plays a critical role in economic growth, job creation, and social stability.
They noted that sustaining ongoing reforms, particularly in mortgage access, urban renewal, and public-private partnerships, would be essential to reducing Nigeria’s housing deficit.
The association expressed confidence in the new minister’s ability to build on the achievements of his predecessor, particularly under the Renewed Hope Housing Programme.
According to AHCN, previous efforts have helped revive national housing initiatives, strengthen collaboration with private developers, and improve funding structures within the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).
Other highlighted reforms include slum upgrading programmes, expansion of the National Housing Fund, improved transparency in housing allocation, and efforts to standardise mass housing construction costs.
The group also encouraged stronger cooperation between government agencies, financial institutions, developers, and professional bodies to accelerate progress in the sector.
Both organisations agreed that continuity in housing policy is essential to maintaining investor confidence and achieving measurable impact in reducing Nigeria’s housing gap.
They concluded by reaffirming their readiness to support the new minister in driving a more coordinated, sustainable, and inclusive housing development agenda.
