NASS Raises Housing Budget by N50bn
The National Assembly Committees have intervened to raise the housing budget of the Federal Government by an additional N50bn.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, at his ministry’s 2025 Sector Retreat, themed, “Actualising The Renewed Hope Agenda For Housing And Urban Development: Examining Strategies, Identifying Opportunities to Boost Scale And Impact,” in Lagos on Wednesday.
He said, “I want to take a moment to appreciate the Chairmen and members of the National Assembly. When the Budget Office presented its budget, the ministry initially received a significant reduction from the amount provided in 2024. We engaged with the National Assembly committees, and they intervened to increase our budget by an additional N50bn.
“They deserve a big round of applause from us all on behalf of Nigerians. What they have done is not for us as individuals but for the many Nigerians who will benefit from the ministry’s interventions, the additional jobs that will be created, the businesses and individuals that will be empowered through our increased capacity to offset inherited liabilities, and the positive impact on the economy.”
Dangiwa, however, noted that the ministry had made a strong case for an additional N360bn to enable it to expand the coverage and spread of the Renewed Hope Estates to 18 more states, expand the urban renewal programme to cover over 100 more sites, and to take care of liabilities alongside others.
“The N50bn is a good start. We will continue to engage with our National Assembly stakeholders, whom we hold in the highest esteem, as well as the Budget Office. I have set up a stakeholders management team, led by the Minister of State and the Permanent Secretary, in whom I am well pleased, to ensure that we are proactive in carrying critical stakeholders along in all our activities,” he stated.
This came after the minister had highlighted the urgent need for increased budgetary allocation to deliver the presidential mandate of providing affordable housing and reducing the housing deficit.
Recall that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development allocated N11.5bn in its 2025 budget for the construction of 20,000 housing units under the Renewed Hope Agenda’s housing scheme.
This allocation takes slightly above 10 per cent of the total budgetary allocation of N98.1bn by the ministry.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Aminu Tambuwal, reaffirmed the commitments of the lawmakers to support policies and legislative frameworks that would drive efficiency in the sector.
He said, “The Senate and by extension, the entire National Assembly will continue to collaborate with the ministry, its agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure that housing initiatives align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration and international best practices.
“A key part of achieving this agenda is the funding of priority projects to enable the ministry to discharge its mandate effectively. This includes initiatives such as the Renewed Hope City and Estates Programme, the National Housing Programme, the construction and rehabilitation of Federal 2 Secretariats, and the settlement of outstanding liabilities to local contractors, among others.
“The committee is also making efforts to reinstate the Federal Housing Authority, in the federal budget, allowing it to replicate past successes such as FESTAC Town and Gwarimpa Estate. Similarly, we are committed to supporting the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria in its recapitalisation efforts to enhance its capacity to deliver affordable housing to Nigerians and reduce the national housing deficit.”
