Ahmed Musa Dangiwa is Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development. He is a professional architect whose experience spans real estate, infrastructure development, banking, and stints in the private sector and academia. In this interview with CHUKA UROKO, Property Editor, the minister shares his thoughts on the activities of the ministry in the last two years, highlighting the economic impact of the Renewed Hope Housing Programme, in terms of providing homes and creating jobs. He also speaks on other salient housing issues. Excerpts
Watching your ministry and its activities over the last couple of years, it is clear you have been committed to the Renewed Hope Housing Programme. Now tell us, what is this programme all about, and what inspired it?
The Renewed Hope Housing Programme is the flagship initiative of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to transform Nigeria’s housing and urban development landscape. Over the last two years, since I was appointed minister, I have had the privilege of leading its implementation under Mr. President’s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to making decent, affordable housing a reality for all Nigerians.
This programme was inspired by a challenge we could no longer ignore—a housing deficit conservatively estimated at over 17 million units, coupled with decades of limited access to affordable financing and homeownership opportunities for the majority of our citizens. Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda gave us the clear directive: reset the trajectory of housing in Nigeria, close the gap, and ensure that every Nigerian—whether low-, middle-, or high-income—has a fair chance to own a home.
The programme is built on a three-pronged approach designed to meet the needs of every income segment. These three segments are:
a) Renewed Hope Cities: Large-scale, master-planned communities of at least 1,000 housing units each in major urban centres. These are not just residential clusters but smart, sustainable communities with schools, hospitals, green spaces, and commercial hubs. They target high-income Nigerians and diaspora investors while also creating thousands of jobs and stimulating economic growth in surrounding areas.
b) Renewed Hope Estates: Mid-sized estates of 250 housing units in every state capital, specifically designed for middle-income Nigerians such as civil servants, teachers, health workers, artisans, and traders. These estates bring affordable homes closer to workplaces, reducing commuting stress and improving family life.
c) Renewed Hope Social Housing Estates: The most socially transformative component, this will deliver 100 affordable homes in each of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas, targeted at the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians, including homeless families and persons with disabilities. For the first time in Nigeria’s history, housing development will touch every LGA in a structured, equitable manner.
What makes this programme different is that it goes beyond building houses. It is about restoring dignity, creating wealth, reducing poverty, stimulating local building material production, and unlocking homeownership for millions of Nigerians who have long been excluded.
Mr. President deserves full credit for this vision. His bold political will, his directive to make housing a priority in the Renewed Hope Agenda, and his support for innovative financing solutions—such as single-digit interest rate mortgages, zero-down-payment rent-to-own schemes, and our Digital Housing Portal—have made this historic programme possible.
My team and I are simply privileged to carry this vision forward, working through strategic public-private partnerships to ensure scale, sustainability, and life-changing impact for Nigerian families.
With benefit of hindsight on when you started this programme, what can you share as key achievements so far made in its first phase?
Yes, I am very pleased to report that in the last two years, under the clear policy direction and support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we have recorded historic progress in delivering affordable housing for Nigerians. Mr. President’s vision for housing as a key pillar of national development has been the driving force behind everything we have achieved so far.
In less than two years, we have broken new ground, with over 10,000 housing units currently under construction across 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory. This level of activity is unprecedented in recent history. To put it in context, under similar initiatives in the past, only about 3,500 units were completed over eight years, many of which were eventually sold off when we came on board. Some of the flagship projects already underway include:
*A 3,112-unit Renewed Hope City in Karsana, Abuja: A smart, integrated urban community with green infrastructure, commercial spaces, schools, and healthcare facilities.
*A 2,000-unit Renewed Hope City in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos: Strategically located in an emerging economic corridor, close to the Dangote Refinery, Lekki Deep Sea Port, and other major investments.
*A 1,500-unit Renewed Hope City in Kano, along with an additional 500-unit estate to meet growing urban demand.
*250-unit Renewed Hope Estates spread across twelve other states, including Osun, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Sokoto, Gombe, Yobe, Oyo, Benue, Ebonyi, Katsina, and Nasarawa.
These achievements stand out not only because of the scale of delivery, but also because of how we are doing it differently. We are moving away from slow, bureaucratic, government-driven construction. Instead, we are deploying innovative financing models, leveraging budgetary provisions for Renewed Hope Estates, attracting private sector participation, and securing fast-tracked land access with the cooperation of progressive state governors.
Beyond housing construction, we have implemented over 150 slum upgrading and urban renewal projects across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones under the National Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrade Programme (NURSUP).These projects are transforming living conditions in underserved communities by providing clean water, electricity, access roads, schools, healthcare centres, and drainage systems. We are turning neglected settlements into livable, thriving neighbourhoods.
Another milestone is the Digital Housing Portal – www.renewedhopehomes.fmhud.gov.ng. For the first time in Nigeria, citizens anywhere in the world can apply online for government-backed housing units transparently, eliminating middlemen and ensuring fair, equal access.
Most importantly, our housing programme is acting as a powerful economic stimulant. For every house built, an average of 25 direct and indirect jobs are created. With over 10,000 units underway, we have already generated more than 250,000 jobs for young Nigerians—bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, tilers, suppliers, and many more.
We are not just building houses; we are building hope. We are stimulating local economies, empowering communities, deepening homeownership, and setting a new standard for what is possible when political will meets effective execution. This is the promise of the Renewed Hope Agenda in action, and we are determined to scale this success even further in the coming months and years.
How significant has the economic impact of the housing programme been in terms of employment and stimulating local economies?
One of the most powerful aspects of the Renewed Hope Housing Programme, as envisioned by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is that it is not just a social intervention—it is also a strategic economic growth tool. Around the world, housing and construction are known to have some of the highest multiplier effects on GDP, and under the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are deliberately unlocking this potential for Nigeria.
First, there is job creation. Housing delivery is highly labour-intensive. For every single home we build, an average of 25 direct and indirect jobs are created along the value chain. This includes masons, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, welders, roofers, painters, engineers, architects, truck drivers, suppliers of building materials, and many others whose livelihoods depend on the construction ecosystem.
With 10,112 housing units currently under construction nationwide, we have already generated over 250,000 jobs in less than two years. These are not just statistics; they represent real incomes for real people. We have seen artisans on our project sites earn between ₦120,000 and ₦150,000 monthly, in some cases for the first time in their lives. These earnings are flowing directly into local economies—supporting families, paying school fees, funding small businesses, and reducing poverty in tangible ways.
Second, the programme is stimulating local industries. By prioritizing the use of locally produced building materials—cement, blocks, roofing sheets, paints, tiles, doors, and windows—we are boosting demand for domestic manufacturers and suppliers. This supports Nigeria’s industrial base, reduces dependence on imports, and keeps wealth circulating within our economy.
Third, we are opening up new urban growth corridors. Projects like the Renewed Hope City in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, are strategically located to complement major infrastructure investments such as the Dangote Refinery and Lekki Deep Sea Port. These developments are creating economic clusters, attracting new businesses, and unlocking previously underutilized land for commercial and residential use.
The economic impact of housing is therefore multi-layered: it is creating jobs, empowering small businesses, stimulating local manufacturing, attracting investment, and strengthening household incomes nationwide. This is exactly what Mr. President envisioned when he made housing a pillar of his Renewed Hope Agenda—not just providing roofs over people’s heads, but using housing to drive inclusive, sustainable economic transformation.
In essence, every block we lay, every house we complete, is a step towards a stronger economy, a more empowered citizenry, and a more hopeful future for Nigeria.
Your ministry is also working on Renewed Hope Social Housing Programme. What’s the implementation plan, and who are the target beneficiaries of this programme?
The Renewed Hope Social Housing Programme is the heart of our pro-poor housing strategy and one of the most socially transformative aspects of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for housing. It is designed to ensure that no Nigerian is left behind, particularly those who have traditionally been excluded from formal housing markets—low-income earners, informal sector workers, and the most vulnerable members of our society.
The goal is bold but clear: to deliver 77,400 affordable homes, with 100 housing units in each of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs). This is the most decentralized, inclusive housing intervention ever launched in Nigeria, taking housing development directly to rural and peri-urban communities that have historically been neglected.
Target Beneficiaries are Artisans, market women, okada riders, mechanics, petty traders, and other informal sector workers who earn daily or weekly incomes and cannot afford conventional mortgages.
It is also for persons living with disabilities, internally displaced persons (IDPs), widows, and other vulnerable groups who often face housing discrimination or homelessness and young Nigerians, particularly those returning to rural communities under agriculture or entrepreneurship schemes, who need affordable housing to settle and grow.
Civil servants in rural postings, including teachers, healthcare workers, and agricultural extension officers who often struggle to find decent accommodation near their duty stations.
Implementation and Economic Impact: This programme will be rolled out simultaneously across all 774 LGAs, with local developers, artisans, and suppliersengaged to ensure that projects are community-driven and responsive to local needs. Each housing project will activate local economies, creating jobs, supporting small businesses, and boosting the demand for locally produced building materials.
We expect the programme to generate over 2 million direct and indirect jobs, deepen construction skills, and help establish a network of small and medium-scale contractors nationwide. It is as much about economic empowerment and poverty reduction as it is about providing shelter.
In the long term, the Renewed Hope Social Housing Programme will help rebalance Nigeria’s urban development, ensuring that growth and opportunities are not concentrated in big cities alone but spread evenly across the country.
This initiative, championed by Mr. President, is not just about building houses—it is about building hope, restoring dignity, and creating pathways out of poverty for millions of Nigerians.
Unarguably, it has not been easy implementing these programmes. So, what are the biggest challenges you have faced getting them off ground to where they are today?
Every bold reform comes with its share of challenges, and housing is no exception. When Mr. President entrusted me with this mandate two years ago, he was very clear: “Reset the housing sector. Break the barriers that have kept Nigerians from owning their homes for decades.” We knew this would not be easy, given the deep-rooted structural issues in the system.
One of the biggest challenges has been land access and titling. In Nigeria, land administration is largely under the purview of state governments. The process of acquiring land, securing titles, and obtaining approvals has traditionally been slow, cumbersome, and costly. Without accessible and affordable land, housing delivery becomes extremely difficult. To address this, we have worked closely with progressive State Governors who have keyed into Mr. President’s vision. Many have now donated land free of charge for Renewed Hope projects and streamlined their approval processes. At the federal level, we are championing land reforms and driving the Nigeria Land Registration, Documentation and Titling Programme to make land transactions more efficient and transparent nationwide.
Another challenge has been access to affordable housing finance, especially for low- and middle-income Nigerians. Mortgages in Nigeria are traditionally expensive, with high interest rates and rigid terms that put homeownership out of reach for ordinary families. Guided by Mr. President’s directive to make homeownership truly affordable, we are implementing single-digit interest rate mortgages through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), rent-to-own schemes with zero down payments, and exploring public-private housing funds that reduce reliance on federal budgets while expanding access to finance for developers and buyers alike.
Lastly, there is the challenge of public trust, shaped by years of unfulfilled promises and abandoned projects. Nigerians have seen many housing schemes launched in the past that failed to deliver. We are tackling this by ensuring transparency, inclusiveness, and speed of execution. Our Digital Housing Portal is eliminating middlemen and corruption, while our partnerships with credible private developers and financiers are ensuring that projects are not only started but completed on time.
The truth is that housing challenges are complex and multi-dimensional. But with Mr. President’s strong political will, our Ministry’s dedication, and the growing support from state governments, private investors, and development partners, we are dismantling barriers one by one. The results we have achieved in just two years show that a new era for housing in Nigeria has truly begun under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
You have also been occupied with Nigeria Land Registration, Documentation, and Titling Programme. Why is this important to you, and what impact will it make?
The Nigeria Land Registration, Documentation, and Titling Programme (NLRDTP) is one of the most ambitious and far-reaching structural reforms we are championing under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. This is because land is the foundation of everything—housing, agriculture, industrialization, infrastructure development, and investment. Without secure and transparent land administration, our housing revolution cannot reach its full potential.
Today, one of the biggest obstacles to economic growth in Nigeria is that over 96% of land remains untitled and undocumented. This means millions of Nigerians live, farm, or do business on land that is not legally recognized.
Without valid titles such as Certificates of Occupancy (CofO), they cannot access bank loans, secure their investments, or confidently pass on land assets to their children. Economists refer to this as “dead capital”—wealth that exists in theory but cannot be unlocked or used productively.
The NLRDTP is designed to change this reality. It is a bold, systemic, and coordinated reform aimed at working hand-in-hand with State Governments—who constitutionally control land within their territories—to modernize, digitize, and streamline land administration nationwide. The key pillars of this programme include:
*Digitisation of Land Records: Supporting states and the FCT to establish modern, secure, and accessible digital land registries that replace slow, paper-based systems prone to loss, forgery, or manipulation.
*Harmonisation of Procedures: Developing standard operating procedures that reduce duplication, shorten processing times, eliminate excessive charges, and drastically curb corruption in land allocation and titling.
*National Land Information Dashboard: Creating a centralized, real-time database that provides reliable data on land availability, ownership, and use across Nigeria, making it easier for investors, developers, and citizens to plan and transact. The impact of this reform will be transformative because:
*It will unlock over $300 billion in dead capital, enabling Nigerians—especially small landowners, farmers, and informal entrepreneurs—to leverage their land as collateral for credit, boosting business growth, job creation, and financial inclusion.
*It will reduce land disputes and litigation, which currently clog our courts and discourage investment.
*It will enhance investor confidence, providing transparency and security of tenure that both local and foreign investors need to commit capital to housing, agriculture, and infrastructure projects.
Most importantly for the housing sector, it will eliminate one of the biggest bottlenecks developers face—land acquisition and titling delays and accelerating the delivery of affordable housing nationwide.
We are already working with several progressive State Governments that have begun digitizing their land registries or setting up Geographic Information Systems (GIS) platforms. The Federal Government, under Mr. President’s leadership, is providing coordination, technical support, shared digital infrastructure, and capacity building to scale these reforms nationally.
I am also pleased to share that the World Bank and other international development partners have expressed strong interest in supporting this programme—financially and technically—because they recognize its enormous potential to unlock capital, deepen financial inclusion, enhance urban planning, and power economic growth.
The NLRDTP is, therefore, not just a land reform initiative—it is a wealth creation and nation-building programme. By turning land into a truly bankable asset, we are laying the foundation for sustainable housing delivery and broad-based prosperity for generations to come.
Like yesterday, two years have gone behind us since you assumed office. What can Nigerians expect next from the Ministry in the next two years?
Nigerians can expect greater momentum, deeper impact, and wider reach from the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in the coming months and years. As I often say, we are just getting started.
Phase One of the Renewed Hope Housing Programme—which has seen the commencement of over 10,000 housing units, the completion of 150+ slum upgrade projects, the activation of Renewed Hope Cities and Estates, the launch of our Digital Housing Portal, and the design of our land reform programme—was about laying the foundation.
What comes next is full-scale implementation, nationwide expansion, and system-wide transformation. Nigerians can look forward to several key initiatives under the guidance and strong support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose vision for housing as a tool for national development remains our driving force:
Expansion of Renewed Hope Cities Nationwide: We are set to roll out new Renewed Hope Cities in at least three additional major urban centres across different geo-political zones. These cities will be integrated, smart communities featuring housing of various types and prices, commercial districts, schools, hospitals, green parks, and essential infrastructure. They are designed to reduce urban congestion, attract investment, and create modern, inclusive living spaces for Nigerians.
Renewed Hope Estates in Every State Capital: We are working to ensure that every state capital in Nigeria has at least one 250-unit Renewed Hope Estate, targeting middle-income earners—civil servants, teachers, healthcare workers, small business owners—who have historically been left behind by previous housing interventions. This will bring affordable, quality homes closer to workplaces and communities.
Launch of the 774-LGA Social Housing Programme: One of our most ambitious projects, this initiative will deliver 100 housing units in each of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas, making it the most decentralized and inclusive housing programme in the nation’s history.
This project will not only provide affordable homes to the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians, but it is also expected to create over 2 million jobs, boost local economies, and spread development to rural and peri-urban communities that have long been neglected.
Implementation of Landmark Land Reforms: We will be launching the Nigeria Land Registration, Documentation, and Titling Programme (NLRDTP) with selected pilot states, scaling up the digitisation of land records under the Federal Land Information System (FELIS).
This reform will make land ownership simpler, more secure, and more valuable, unlocking billions of dollars in “dead capital,” giving Nigerians the ability to use their land as a true asset for wealth creation.
Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs: We are advancing our housing industrialization agenda by setting up Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs in each geo-political zone. These hubs will reduce dependence on imports, lower construction costs, encourage local production, create thousands of jobs, and strengthen the housing value chain.
Expanded Access to Affordable Housing Finance: We are working with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Family Homes Funds, and other financial institutions to scale up access to single-digit interest mortgages, non-interest housing finance, and rent-to-own schemes. This will ensure that more Nigerians—especially low- and middle-income earners—have practical, affordable pathways to homeownership.
In summary, Nigerians can expect a bolder, faster, and more inclusive housing delivery agenda—one that prioritises people, empowers communities, creates wealth, and supports our national development goals.
I must emphasise that none of this would be possible without the bold leadership and unwavering commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose Renewed Hope Agenda has placed housing at the heart of his administration’s social and economic reforms. I also acknowledge the dedicated support of the Honourable Minister of State, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, the Permanent Secretary, Shuaibu Belgore, and the entire team at the Ministry, who work tirelessly every day to make this vision a reality.
We are determined to turn the Renewed Hope Housing vision into a visible, tangible reality for millions of Nigerians, transforming not just skylines but lives and communities across the nation.
As we mark my second year in office as Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, I feel deeply honoured to be part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, working under his visionary leadership to deliver on one of the most fundamental needs of our people—decent, affordable, and dignified housing.
The progress we have made in just two years—the commencement of over 10,000 housing units, 150+ slum upgrade projects, the launch of the Digital Housing Portal, the rollout of landmark land reforms, and the mobilization of billions of naira in private sector investments—is proof that when vision meets political will, strategy, and action, real change is possible.
But this is just the beginning. The true promise of the Renewed Hope Housing Programme lies in Phase Two, where we will scale up delivery to every state and every Local Government Area, unlock over 2 million jobs, make homeownership accessible to more Nigerians, and build vibrant, modern, and inclusive communities across the nation.
Our approach is deliberate and holistic: we are not just building houses, we are building economies, building wealth, building dignity, and building hope.
I want Nigerians to know that this administration will not relent until we have reset the trajectory of housing in Nigeria, making it a true engine of national development and social equity.
I also want to express my profound gratitude to Mr. President for his unwavering support, to the Honourable Minister of State, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, to our Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shuaibu Belgore, and to the entire dedicated team of professionals at the Ministry, as well as our private sector and development partners who share this vision.
Together, we are laying the foundations for a future where every Nigerian, regardless of income, status, or location, can aspire to own a home. A future where housing is not just a dream, but a right and a reality.
That is the Renewed Hope we are delivering, and that is the commitment we are making to the Nigerian people—today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.
