Dangiwa: Inadequate Budgetary Provision Hobbling Housing Sector’s Growth

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has highlighted the urgent need for increased budgetary allocation to deliver the presidential mandate of providing affordable housing and reducing its deficit in the country.

Besides, the minister blamed the constantly rising cost of building materials as a major setback for the growth of the housing sector, despite the efforts of the players in the industry to close the housing supply gap.

Dangiwa spoke during the 2025 budget defence before the Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the House of Representatives Committee on Housing and Habitat respectively.

The senate committee is under the chairmanship of  Senator Aminu Tambuwal, while the House of Representatives committee is headed by Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, according to a statement in Abuja by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Salisu Haiba.

Dangiwa, who alongside the Minister of State, Yusuf Ata, led the management staff of the ministry to the budget defence, also presented the 2023/2024 budget performance of the ministry.

In his presentation, he highlighted the ministry’s priorities for 2025, emphasising the need to complete ongoing housing projects, slum upgrading, and urban renewal programmes across the nation.

Dangiwa also listed the focus areas of his ministry in the 2025 budget to include; construction of 20,000 housing units under the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda, and completion of national housing projects in over 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Accordingly, the minister urged the committee to increase budgetary allocations in seven key areas which he said were critical to the transformative policies and programmes of  President Bola Tinubu to put the economy on the path of recovery and growth.

The seven key areas he mentioned were: Increased funding for the completion of ongoing housing projects; enhanced allocation for slum upgrading and urban renewal programmes and additional resources for the national housing projects.

He also listed improved funding for affordable housing initiatives; enhanced allocation for housing infrastructure development; increased support for housing research and development as well as improved funding for housing policy and regulatory framework development.

According to the statement, both committees expressed their support for the vision and commitment of the ministry to turn around the housing sector in the country and assured the minister of their collaboration.