Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has vowed to work with the National Assembly and relevant stakeholders to in reviewing the Land Use Act to update laws guiding housing, access to land, resettlement and related matters in line with current realities.
He gave the assurance during a meeting with a World Bank delegation in Abuja.
The minister observed that key provisions of the Act, including those relating to compensation, are obsolete and lack relevance in guiding land-related matters in the country.
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Dangiwa said: “We have already issued a directive to Directors of Departments of Land and Urban and Regional Planning to develop a robust framework that engages the National Assembly and others in reviewing the Land Use Act.”
While addressing the issue of housing deficit, the minister underlined the importance of instituting a sustainable framework that generates credible, reliable and scientific data to guide policy formulation.
The visit by the World Bank team was to brief the new minister on extant collaborations between the global lender and the ministry, ongoing projects and programmes in the housing, land, urban development and mortgage finance sectors, as well as discuss avenues for more partnerships.
Leader of delegation, Michael Ilesanmi, recalled that discussions with the ministry on land acquisition, resettlement and compensation began way back in 2014, but were deepened in 2022.
“Land remains a significant issue in the sector. The Land Use Act faces various challenges, and while realities have changed since its enactment in 1978, not much has changed with the Act. I believe there are opportunities to revise the Act to make it more relevant today,” he said.
Ilesanmi stated that the issues of acquisition, resettlement and compensation are hindering development, adding that inadequate processes and standards employed in determining replacement cost and compensation rate had exacerbated the challenges in land administration.
He promised the institution’s readiness to provide technical and knowledge assistance to the ministry.
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