Federal Government, yesterday, said that it’s embarking on land reforms to unlock over $300 billion in dead capital adding that over 97 per cent of land in Nigeria do not have titles.
Speaking while declaring open the 63rd Annual General Meeting of Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) in Abuja, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Architect Ahmed Musa Dangiwa explained that the reform which is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, further stated that the reform would ensure quick, easy, and efficient access to land.
“Our aim is to ensure that Nigerians have legal titles over their land so they can use it to access credit for their business. Over 97 per cent of land in Nigeria do not have titles thereby limiting its potential as an economic resource. We have engaged the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reforms (PTCLR) and committed to reviewing and incorporating relevant recommendations.
“A key part of this includes the establishment of a National Land Commission. The commission will provide the guidelines and regulations for operationalising the Land Use Act 1978. This will help streamline land administration. To drive this process, we have composed a land reforms committee comprising state governments, traditional rulers, relevant agencies, professional bodies, academia, stakeholders to ensure buy-in and inclusivity. With their recommendations we will draft an Executive Bill and proceed to the National Assembly for the amendment of the obsolete provisions in Land Use Act 1978,” he said
On the housing deficit which has been variously put at 17 million, 21 million, 22 million and 28 million, the minister described it as a source of embarrassment to the government.
To this effect, Dangiwa said that the ministry would collaborate with the National Population Commission (NPoC) to develop a reliable housing data for the country.
“For years, our nation has grappled with conflicting and unsubstantiated figures regarding this crisis. The range of estimates, varying from 17 million to 28 million, has not only been a source of embarrassment but also a hindrance to effective policymaking and strategic planning. We plan to fix this national embarrassment by developing and implementing a mechanism to deliver reliable housing data to guide policy formulation. We have begun a strategic collaboration with the National Population Commission on housing data. The plan is to work with the commission to design and implement survey instruments specifically tailored to address housing-related questions to arrive at the actual housing deficit during their upcoming population and housing census exercise.
“We understand clearly that the housing deficit is not solely about the quantity of structures but also about the quality of living conditions. So, we want to know whether the homes that Nigerians live in provide access to good sanitation, proper toilets, sufficient living spaces, a healthy environment, and other essential amenities.
We have written to Mr. President and we are hopeful that with his approval for the conduct of the census, we should fix this problem and put an end to this national embarrassment.
“To ensure that housing agencies under the supervision of the ministry are optimised to deliver on your target of providing affordable homes to Nigerians, we have composed a Housing Reform Team of experts, stakeholders, agency representatives, professional bodies and academia to develop a robust framework for reform of the housing sector including thorough review of relevant laws and facilitation of necessary legislative amendments,” he said.