Abuja – November 16, 2023 – Viewpoint Housing News.
The Federal Government has encouraged the 36 states to enact significant reforms, including digitizing property titles, encouraging collaboration between public and private investors in the housing delivery process, and preventing repeated charges and duplicate titling on government assets, In order to improve ease of doing business.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development Ahmed Dangiwa made the appeal yesterday in Lagos at the 28th Conference of Directors of Lands in Federal and State ministries, In a speech headlined “Improving land-based revenue of the federating units in Nigeria through efficient and effective land administration,”
He further requested that, registration tenures, and land information systems ought to be reformed. The minister listed a number of other issues, such as the absence of an efficient and transparent registration process that deters investment and impedes economic growth, poor urban planning that results in squatter settlements and inappropriate land use, and weak legal and regulatory frameworks that make it challenging for people and companies to deal with the land administration system.
According to the minister, resolving the obstacles that prevent the nation’s effective land administration and management will release $300 billion in assets that have been locked up and increase revenue for sustainable development.
In order to narrow the gap and advance efficient land administration throughout the nation, he revealed that the present administration was seeking to create a National Land Commission.
“Our goal is to execute the most significant land reforms the nation has ever seen in order to facilitate the private sector’s ability to invest in the sector and generate profitable returns,” he stated.
The Land Use Act of 1978 mandates changes to national government policy and legislative changes. Nonetheless, there exists ample opportunity for creativity to get around some of these obstacles. Despite the restrictions of the Land Use Act, we have seen in states like Kaduna and Kano where creative leaders have found ways to enact changes that have helped them improve land administration by infusing efficiency into property registration and land titling.
With an estimated 28 million housing shortage across the federation, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his Special Advisor on Housing, Barakat Odunuga, stated that, the country’s economic capital was improving the sub-sector through regulation, training of artisans, joint venture and private partnership to increase supply and provide an enabling environment for investors in the value chain.
Felix Appah, Director/Head of Department, Land and Housing Development, Federal Housing and Urban Development, clarified that the purpose of the conference was to generate ideas among key stakeholders regarding a model that utilizes this priceless resource, addresses pressing problems, and develops plans for improved land management and increased revenue.
