By BUSHRAH YUSUF-BADMUS

The Federal Government says it will intensify efforts to deepen industrial capacity through the establishment of local building materials manufacturing hubs.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Shuaib Belgore, made the remark on Wednesday at the ongoing 14th National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development in Ilorin.

The meeting is themed, “Achieving Housing Delivery and Sustainable Cities through Effective Land Management, Urban Renewal, Promotion of Local Building Materials, and Public–Private Partnerships in Nigeria.’’

Belgore noted that Nigeria’s rapid population growth and accelerated urbanisation had resulted in a significant housing deficit, which was further compounded by challenges.

He listed the challenges to include limited access to land, inadequate mortgage financing, high costs of building materials, insufficient infrastructure, weak land documentation systems, and shortages of skilled artisans and craftsmen.

He, however, explained that the establishment of the manufacturing hub was aimed at reducing construction costs, shortening delivery timelines, and creating employment opportunities.

Belgore said effective land management, urban renewal, promotion of local building materials, and Public–Private Partnership had proven to be critical catalysts for sustainable housing delivery.

He added that land, which remained the principal resource in the sector, only became a true asset when it was properly titled, registered, digitised, and verified.

“Urban renewal, through the regeneration and modernisation of ageing urban centres, improves liveability, optimises land use, and promotes sustainable human settlements.

“In addition, the growing demands on public resources have made Public–Private Partnerships indispensable in complementing government efforts to scale up housing and infrastructure delivery,” he said.

Belgore said that the importance of housing could not be overemphasised, as it had been a vital sector of the economy, transcending the provision of shelter.

He added that housing remained a critical driver of a productive and stable society, explaining that sound physical planning, efficient land allocation, utilisation, policy formulation, and implementation were fundamental to sustainable housing development.

The Permanent Secretary said that real estate and construction sectors contributed significantly to economic growth through employment generation, investment mobilisation, savings, and improved labour productivity.

”Moreover, the availability of decent housing directly influences public health, social well-being, and environmental sustainability,” he said.

Belgore added that the Ministry was also working towards coordinating and harmonising policies, procedures, and institutional frameworks through sustained collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders.

In his speech, Dr Segun Ogunshola, the Kwara Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, noted that challenges affecting housing provision persisted, but that the state government had been implementing measures to address land and housing shortages.

Ogunshola said the 20,000-unit Kwara Smart City project masterplan had been reviewed to improve liveability while measures were in place to achieve the project.

NAN reports that the National Council Meeting is a forum that provides a strategic platform for aligning federal and state policies and accelerating reforms in the housing and urban development sector.

Policymakers, key stakeholders, professionals were among those who attended the meeting. (NAN)