Newly-inaugurated minister of housing and urban development, Mr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma, on Friday pledged to deploy innovation and strategic thinking to address Nigeria’s huge housing deficit, declaring that tangible changes would be seen soon.
Speaking with State House correspondents shortly after taking the oath of office administered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, Darma described his appointment as a major responsibility that would be judged by himself, the public and ultimately God.
“I feel that I have been given a responsibility. I must satisfy myself that the work I’m given, I’m doing it well. Then the people around me will be satisfied, and the general public will become satisfied that what I’m doing, I’m doing it well. At the end of it all, God Almighty will also judge me. I am going to deliver to the best of my ability, and you will see changes in no time,” he said.
The minister acknowledged the scale of the housing challenge, noting that Nigeria requires an estimated 20 million housing units to meet present demand. According to him, the shortfall affects more than 100 million Nigerians.
“That is a tremendous challenge. Even if you say you’re going to build 15 million houses in the next 10 years, it’s going to be difficult, and it’s going to consume a lot of money. We know all of that,” he said.
Despite the huge figures, Darma said his administration would pursue reforms driven by creativity, innovation and strategic planning.
“But we are strategic. We are focused. We are forward-looking. We are people who actually think much faster than the time we are in. We will bring a lot of innovation and creativity to ensure that we do well, and that so many people who are unhoused will be housed, inshallah,” he added.
On funding challenges in the sector, Darma said he would first study the ministry’s internal constraints before rolling out solutions.
“I have not gone to the ministry to fully understand the many challenges it is facing. If I know the challenges, I will definitely find ways to solve them,” he said.
The minister also raised concerns over the poor performance of government-owned housing projects compared to private estates, saying the contrast pointed to deeper structural problems.
“In this country today, some of the richest people we have, even here in Abuja, are estate owners and property developers. They are building houses, selling them, and yet government-owned houses are being abandoned. There must be something wrong,” he said.
Darma said his ministry would review existing housing delivery models, improve efficiency and explore stronger private sector collaboration to bridge the country’s widening housing deficit.
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