By Kingsley Adegboye

The Managing Director of Platinum Mortgage Bank, Dr. Emmanuel Mbaka, has praised the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, for his exceptional performance over the past year.

Dr. Mbaka expressed his admiration during an exclusive interaction with Housing TV Africa, highlighting the minister’s dedication to reforms in the housing sector and his impressive achievements.

Dr. Mbaka stated, “I am very pleased with all that Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa has done since becoming the Minister for Housing and Urban Development. He has made us proud as stakeholders in the housing industry.” He specifically lauded Dangiwa’s efforts in introducing institutional reforms and establishing a national housing data committee, a move that promises to provide real-time data for better policy formulation and strategic decision-making.

He added, “He deserves our accolades. I join every Nigerian in commending him and congratulating him for his remarkable performance over the past year.” Dr. Mbaka went on to list some of the key achievements of Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa and his deputy, Abdullahi Gwarzo, noting their significant impact on the housing sector.

According to a statement by the bank, key achievements of the Minister include: “First, one of the most notable accomplishments is the establishment of a strong foundation for sustainable housing sector reforms. In January, the Ministry inaugurated four task teams to focus on vital areas, including strengthening federal housing institutions, streamlining land administration, fostering multi-agency collaboration, and setting up building materials manufacturing hubs across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. These teams have worked diligently, producing comprehensive reports that will steer the ministry’s efforts in the coming years.

“Secondly, the Ministry has made remarkable progress in increasing the availability of affordable and decent housing for Nigerians. The groundbreaking of 6,612 housing units in 13 locations under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme is a clear testament to this. Among these, 3,112 units are being developed in Karsana, Abuja, through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). These homes will be offered under various affordable ownership schemes, including single-digit mortgages, rent-to-own arrangements, and outright purchases, making them accessible to people across different income brackets.

“In addition, the Ministry has significantly expanded its Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrade Programme, with projects currently underway at 26 sites nationwide. These projects aim to provide essential services such as water supply, solar-powered streetlights, road rehabilitation, and waste management, improving the living conditions in underserved communities.

Efforts to accelerate the sale of housing units under the National Housing Programme have also yielded impressive results, with 8,925 expressions of interest received across various payment options. The first batch of provisional allocation letters has already been issued to successful applicants, signaling progress in this area.

“In a bid to ensure equitable housing access for all Nigerians, including low- and no-income groups, significant strides have been made towards establishing the National Social Housing Fund (NSHF). Extensive work has gone into developing a framework for this initiative, which aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda, ensuring that every Nigerian has access to decent accommodation.

Moreover, the Ministry is making progress in land reform, working with the World Bank on a National Land Titling Programme. This programme aims to increase land formalization in Nigeria from its current rate of less than ten percent to fifty percent within the next decade, contributing to a more efficient land registration system.

“To tackle the long-standing issue of inconsistent housing deficit figures, the Ministry also inaugurated the Joint Steering Committee on National Housing Data. The committee’s mission is to develop a blueprint for transparent and accessible housing data, a critical tool for informed policymaking. The establishment of a National Housing Data Center is expected to be completed within six months, a move anticipated to significantly improve strategic planning in the sector.

Dr. Mbaka concluded by affirming the continued support of Platinum Mortgage Bank to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, expressing optimism for even greater achievements in the future under the leadership of Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa.”

Platinum Mortgage Bank, a national mortgage institution with branches in more than ten states, has been a key player in financing housing projects across Nigeria. The bank has sponsored numerous mortgage loans for Nigerian workers and partnered with several government agencies, including the Federal Government Staff Housing Loan and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, to ensure more homes are made available to the public.