The Director of Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS) of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Muhktar Ilyasu Umar, has stated that the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development is expected to produce far-reaching resolutions that will guide policy implementation across all tiers of government.

Umar made the assertion at the 14th Edition of the Council in Ilorin, Kwara State, describing it as a commitment of the federal government, through the housing ministry, to inclusive engagement and cooperative federalism in the country’s built environment.

He reaffirmed the government’s efforts to enhance evidence-based policymaking as essential pillars for addressing the nation’s housing and urban development challenges, adding that it will also chart a sustainable path for housing delivery, urban development, land administration and management in Nigeria.

The Director explained, “Council represents the apex advisory body for the sector and draws participation from Honourable Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, Directors, State Surveyors-General, and other key actors in the built environment across the Federation.”

According to him, the theme for the meeting is “Achieving Housing Delivery and Sustainable Cities through Effective Land Management, Urban Renewal, Promotion of Local Building Materials, and Public–Private Partnerships in Nigeria.”

Umar further reflected on the urgent national imperative to respond holistically to rapid urbanisation, population growth, climate change impacts, and Nigeria’s widening housing deficit through innovative and practical solutions.

Also, Mr. Ilyasu argued that they are structured around eight thematic areas, including policy formulation and implementation; institutional strengthening; effective land management and administration; and national land governance frameworks.

He added that these are meant to drive the promotion of local building materials and technologies; urban renewal and regeneration; public–private partnerships; and innovative housing finance strategies.

Ilyasu therefore called on the participants to engage constructively, share best practices, and advance implementable recommendations to strengthen land governance, revitalise Nigerian cities, reduce the housing deficit, and improve citizens’ quality of life.

On his part, the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Kwara State, Dr. Segun Ogunsola, noted that the theme of the council meeting is apt as it aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

In other news, the Federal Government has rolled out a new national housing scheme anchored on land reform, urban renewal, and Public-Private Partnerships, fashioned to tackle Nigeria’s widening housing lapses.

Nigeria’s housing deficit, estimated in the tens of millions, remains one of the country’s most pressing social and economic challenges, driven by rapid urbanisation, population growth, and rising construction costs.

This new policy was disclosed on Monday in Ilorin by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Architect Ahmed Dangiwa, at the 14th National Council on Lands, Housing, and Urban Development meeting.

The strategy, according to him, would place effective land administration at the centre of housing delivery and adopt urban renewal as a tool for rebuilding the nation’s cities.

Represented by the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Alhaji Mukhtar Ilyasu, Dangiwa said the project would also position private sector investment as the main driver of mass housing development nationwide.