Housing: Dangiwa Seeks Removal of Barriers to Land Access to Unlock $300bn ‘Dead’ Capital

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has underscored the need to streamline the land administration process in Nigeria to ensure that land is available and accessible for housing purposes in the country.

Speaking during a meeting with members of the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reforms (PTCLR), chaired by Prof. Peter Adeniyi, the minister said that the ministry will review and incorporate essential aspects of their work into its reform strategy for implementation.

A statement in Abuja by the Special Adviser on Media to the minister, Mark Chiese, said the PTCLR, comprising renowned experts on land reforms, was established 14 years ago in 2009 to address land governance challenges.

“It has produced comprehensive recommendations and blueprints aimed at transforming land administration in the country.

“These recommendations, once implemented, have the potential to significantly enhance land access and drive economic growth by unlocking an estimated $300 billion in dead capital,” the statement added.

 Dangiwa, in expressing support for the committee’s work despite challenges, assured Adeniyi and other committee members of the commitment of President Bola Tinubu, to implement the recommendations made by the group.

To expedite this process, he added that an internal ministerial committee has been established to meticulously study the committee’s submissions.

“As a ministry, we will review and incorporate relevant aspects of their inputs into our land reform strategy towards implementing them for the good of the country. I have set up an internal ministerial committee to study the committee’s submissions and we will be meeting with them in the next two weeks,” he said.

The minister underscored the ministry’s determination to dismantle barriers hindering the growth of the housing sector and national development, notably the ineffective land administration system in the country.

Earlier in his presentation, Adeniyi highlighted the immense progress made by the committee over the years, including the production of a draft Land Use Act as well as draft regulations to cater to all aspects of the sector.

“We have over time tried to get the attention of critical stakeholders, government and policy leaders in the past to see that these regulations get the necessary backing, but unfortunately, nothing has come out of it.

“So, you could imagine our excitement when we got the invitation from the minister. We’ve not had such an opportunity before. Knowing the minister and all that he did as Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), I know that he has great passion for this country and has the will to pursue any policy he puts his mind to.

“This is an opportunity for us to finally get the much-needed land reforms for the development of our country.

“The reason our Systematic Land Titling and Administration (SLTA) framework, which has been adopted by states like Kaduna and Kano, is simply the lack of legal backing. So, you find that the system is only valid within the parameters of the state but is not binding outside of the state. With a commission, that can be resolved,” he added.