FG in talks with India on social housing, sustainable city development

The Federal Government of Nigeria has opened talks with India as part of efforts at exploring new avenues for enhancing its housing and urban development sector.

This was revealed during a meeting between Ahmed Dangiwa, Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development and Shri Manohar Lal, India’s Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs at the 12th edition of the World Urban Forum (WUF12) held in Cairo, Egypt.

The talks focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas such as social housing, urban resilience, and sustainable city development, marking a significant step towards addressing Nigeria’s growing housing challenges.

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According to a statement by Mark Chieshe, Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the Minister, the discussion centered on expanding housing development partnerships and exploring collaborative strategies between Nigeria and India.

He noted that the bilateral talks covered various areas where the two countries could benefit from shared knowledge, focusing on Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme.

“Key topics included social housing initiatives, urban resilience, slum upgrades, and strategies to address informal settlements in Nigeria”, Chieshe said.

According to him, Nigeria shared its plans to establish Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs, aimed at boosting local production capacity for affordable housing and creating jobs within the sector.

He stated that India, with its extensive experience in urban housing, social housing programs, and sustainable city development, offers valuable insights for Nigeria’s housing challenges.

“The shared experiences between Nigeria and India provide a valuable foundation for knowledge exchange and the pursuit of innovative housing solutions.

“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, we are keen on leveraging bilateral partnerships to address Nigeria’s housing and urban development challenges”, Dangiwa emphasized.

Minister Lal expressed India’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts.

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“We have experimented and learned how to do things better. We would be happy to support Nigeria’s efforts and share our experiences in addressing urban housing and infrastructure needs”, he stated.

The meeting highlighted Nigeria’s commitment to building international partnerships as part of its Renewed Hope Agenda for housing and urban development.

“By aligning with India, Nigeria aims to accelerate its goals of providing affordable, inclusive housing and building sustainable urban communities”, Chieshe noted.