By AKOR SYLVESTER-Abuja
In a landmark meeting at the 12th edition of the World Urban Forum (WUF12) held in Cairo, Egypt, Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, engaged in high level discussions with India’s Hon’ble Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Shri Manohar Lal.
The bilateral talks which centered on strengthening housing development partnerships and exploring collaborative strategies in housing and urban development between Nigeria and India, covered key areas of potential cooperation, including Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme, social housing schemes, building resilient and sustainable cities, slum upgrade and urban renewal, and addressing the challenge of informal settlements.
The meeting also featured Nigeria’s plans to establish Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs, which would enhance local production capacity to support affordable housing and job creation in Nigeria.
India, with its robust housing sector, has recorded significant learnings in urban housing, sustainable city development, and social housing programes, which offer valuable insights for Nigeria’s housing development journey.
Speaking, Ahmed Dangiwa emphasized the importance of such cross-country collaboration, stating, “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 Ahmed Tinubu, we are keen on leveraging bilateral partnerships towards fixing Nigeria’s housing and urban development challenges.”
Expressing India’s support, Shri Manohar Lal highlighted the mutual benefits of this cooperation, adding, “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.”
The meeting at WUF12 underscores Nigeria’s commitment to international cooperation to drive the Renewed Hope Agenda for housing and urban development.
In a statement signed by Mark Chieshe, Special Advise, Media and Strategy to the Minister, by partnering with India, a nation recognized for its progress in social housing and urban resilience, Nigeria aims to accelerate its mission to provide affordable, inclusive housing for its citizens and foster sustainable urban communities.
