By Biola Lawal
Abuja (FLOWERBUDNEWS): The Federal Ministry of Housing, Lands and Urban Development (FMHUD) Stakeholders Workshop, which opened on Tuesday in Abuja , will enhance public confidence in the construction industry and boost investment i
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, who gave the assurance in his welcome address at the workshop, said that outcome of validation workshop would also improve building safety and support the delivery of decent, safe and affordable housing for all Nigerians.
The Stakeholders’ Validation Workshop on the National Housing Data Programme Report and the Regulation of the Built Environment in the Housing Sector, he noted , would be helpful in achieving President Bola Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in the areas of housing delivery, urban development, institutional reforms and improved governance of the housing sector.
Dr. Belgore also noted that the workshop has brought together key stakeholders from the Federal and State Governments, professional and regulatory bodies, development partners, financial institutions, academia, the private sector and other relevant institutions to validate two critical national initiatives that are central to the transformation of Nigeria’s housing sector.
He said that the workshop would first discuss the National Housing Data Programme, ‘:which seeks to establish a credible, reliable and sustainable national housing data ecosystem that will support evidence-based policymaking, improve planning, strengthen investment decisions and enhance the monitoring and evaluation of housing interventions across the country.”
The second deliberation ”is the Regulation of the Built Environment, which seeks to strengthen regulatory oversight, promote compliance with established standards, improve professionalism within the construction industry and address the persistent challenge of building collapse through coordinated institutional reforms.”
Dr. Belgore observed thatNigeria’s housing sector has, for many years, been challenged by fragmented data systems, inadequate coordination among institutions and weak regulatory enforcement.
The Permanent Secretary said that the ”limitations have constrained effective planning, reduced investor confidence and affected the overall quality, safety and sustainability of housing development nationwide.”
”Recognising these challenges, the Ministry inaugurated the 13-member National Housing Data Steering Committee, which I have the privilege of chairing, alongside the 20-member Technical Committee in August 2024 to develop a sustainable framework for the establishment of the National Housing Data Centre,” he disclosed.
The Permanent Secretary disclosed further that after ”months of extensive technical work and stakeholder consultations, the Technical Committee, under the leadership of Dr. Taofeeq Olatinwo, submitted its Final Report in December 2025, which was accepted by the Honourable Minister as a major intellectual, technical and institutional milestone for the housing sector.”
”The Committee’s work has provided Nigeria with a scientifically derived estimate of the national housing deficit, developed a comprehensive National Housing Data Framework and Implementation Strategy, and laid the foundation for the establishment of the National Housing Data Centre.,” Dr. Belgore stressed.
He said that the ”short-term recommendation to domicile the Programme within the Planning, Research and Statistics Department, has already been implemented, while the Concept Note for the establishment of a Special Purpose Vehicle as the long-term institutional framework has been approved.”
He said that an Implementation Committee has equally been inaugurated to drive the operationalisation of the recommendations.
”In addition, following the increasing incidence of building collapse across the country, the Honourable Minister constituted a Ministerial Task Team to review the underlying causes and recommend comprehensive reforms aimed at strengthening the regulation of the built environment.,” he said.
Dr. Belgore said that the recommendations arising from that assignment, together with other ongoing regulatory initiatives of the Ministry, form an important component of our deliberations during this workshop.
He stressed that ”over the next three days, participants will deliberate on several strategic issues captured in the workshop agenda,” including the validation of the National Housing Data Framework and Implementation Strategy; review of the governance framework for the proposed National Housing Data Centre; validation of housing data standards, methodologies and data-sharing arrangements among stakeholders; and consideration of practical strategies for ensuring the sustainability of the National Housing Data Programme.”
The Permanent Secretary said that ”the participants will also examine the Report of the Ministerial Task Team on the Incessant Building Collapse in Nigeria, deliberate on strategies for the effective implementation of the National Building Code, consider the establishment of a National Developers’ Registr”.
The workshop would also ”review the proposed National Framework for the Certification, Registration and Regulation of Artisans and Craftsmen, and discuss other policy and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening the regulation of the built environment and improving public safety,” he said.
Dr. Belgore said that ”the successful implementation of these initiatives will require sustained collaboration among governments at all levels, professional bodies, regulatory agencies, developers, financial institutions, academia and development partners. ”
He urged ‘: every participant to actively engage in the discussions, provide objective and constructive contributions, share experiences and best practices, and work collaboratively towards producing outcomes that will strengthen Nigeria’s housing sector.”
”I am confident that the recommendations emerging from this workshop , will not only provide the roadmap for the successful implementation of the National Housing Data Programme, but will also strengthen the regulatory framework for the built environment, enhance public confidence in the construction industry, improve building safety and support the delivery of decent, safe and affordable housing for all Nigerians. (FLOWERBUDNEWS)
About Flowerbudnews
Established by Hon. Biola Lawal, a former Acting Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), FLOWERBUDNEWS is a consortium of active veteran journalists, experienced Multimedia broadcast experts and image makers.
We are drawn from both public and private sectors of Nigeria’s media Industry with a common determination to enhance the practice of responsible journalism..
Lawal, on his part, is also a former Honourable Commissioner for Information,Youth, Sports and Culture of Osun state, his home state.
Biola Lawal had also successfully served two tenures as Press Secretary to the ECOMOG Force Commander in Liberia during the Liberian and Sierra Leone Civil wars. He was an outstanding NAN Defence and War Correspondent for many years.
The retired NAN Acting Boss holds the honour of being the only journalist that served two terms on the ECOMOG international assignment due to his high professionalism and decency.
As ECOMOG Press Secretary, Biola Lawal served late Maj.Gen. Rufus Kupolati, Late. Maj.-Gen. Ishaya Bakut and (briefly), late Brig.-Gen. Idowu Adetunji Olurin. In his second tenure, he served late Lt.-Gen. Victor Malu.
He is a Co-Author of the book; ECOMOG, A BOLD ATTEMPT AT REGIONAL PEACEKEEPING! Edited Mrs Magaret Vogt. The book remains the most. factual, detailed and authentic book on the ECOWAS sponsored ECOMOG Military operation.