In a significant move toward ensuring efficiency and sustainable impact of planned social housing initiatives in Nigeria, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, met with Mohamed Tarek Belaribi, Minister of Housing, Urban Planning, Algeria, at the Sheraton Hotel in Algiers. The ministers engaged in a fruitful discussion centered around sharing expertise and knowledge on social housing programs. The meeting was on the sidelines of the 2023 Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of Shelter which held from 3rd to 6th October.
In his remarks, Arc. Dangiwa underscored Nigeria’s commitment to addressing its housing challenges under the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. He revealed plans to rapidly increase Nigeria’s housing stock annually and create new cities across the country. He also mentioned the government’s plans to establish a National Social Housing Fund (NSHF) to cater to the housing needs of No income and low-income Nigerians and expressed eagerness to learn from Algeria’s successful social housing model.
Algerian Housing Minister, Belaribi while acknowledging the pivotal role housing plays in Algeria, highlighted Algeria’s remarkable progress, producing and distributing 1,160,000 housing units in 2020 and 400,000 units in 2022. Belaribi outlined Algeria’s integrated Cities approach, which includes incorporating schools, hospitals, roads, and ensuring security measures. He stressed the importance of urban and land development, citing the National Scheme on Urban Development and the creation of five new cities as pivotal steps.
Regarding social housing formulas, Belaribi outlined diverse approaches, including delivering units without any upfront payment, a rent-to-own scheme managed by the Agency of Amelioration and Development of Housing (AADH), and tailoring housing sizes based on income and family size. He also discussed the innovative National Bank on Housing, allowing subscribers to save for homeownership, thereby reducing the government’s financial burden.
Minister Belaribi expressed readiness for collaboration, organizing meetings with key officials and offering Algeria’s expertise in various fields, emphasizing the importance of establishing a formal agreement between the two ministries and proposed a comprehensive framework for joint efforts. The meeting between the two ministers marked a crucial step toward international cooperation, fostering collaboration that promises significant advancements in social housing, benefiting the citizens of both Nigeria and Algeria.
Salisu Haiba Badamasi
Deputy Director Press
