Nigeria Emerges Chair of UN-Habitat Executive Board

Stories by Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Nigeria has emerged the chair of the executive board of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), a statement by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Badamasi Haiba, has said.

The confirmation of Nigeria as chair of the board was made known during a meeting with the UN-Habitat office and the ministry in Abuja.

The Minister of State in the ministry, Abdullahi Gwarzo, on behalf of the Nigerian government accepted the position, assuring that Nigeria would accomplish the mission of the organisation.

Gwarzo lauded the UN-Habitat and the African Group for the confidence reposed in Nigeria’s quality leadership caused by her continuous commitment and exemplary role in the implementation of the African Urban Agenda (AUA) and the 2030 Agenda in the continent, assuring Nigeria’s commitment towards the achievement of the mandate of UN-Habitat.

The minister acknowledged a notable milestone achieved in the human settlement sector in Nigeria since the establishment of the UN-Habitat Programme support office in 2003, saying that it was the result of the robust collaboration between the UN-Habitat and the federal government.

Gwarzo reiterated the commitment of the ministry to execute its primary mandate of providing affordable housing in a secure, healthy and decent environment of both urban and rural areas for Nigerians.