The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, has revealed plans by the Federal Government to prioritise the upgrading of major informal settlements across the country, including Makoko in Lagos, Gishiri in Abuja, and others.
He said communities in Kano and Port Harcourt, are also targeted for slum upgrade as part of a new urban development policy aimed at transforming slums into liveable communities.
Darma stated this during a courtesy visit by the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners led by its National President, Ogbonna Chime, to his office in Abuja.
According to the minister, the current administration is committed to improving living conditions in underserved urban communities by providing better planning, infrastructure and sustainable development initiatives.
He noted that settlements such as Makoko in Lagos, Gishiri in Abuja, and other densely populated areas in Kano and Port Harcourt have for years suffered from poor infrastructure and unregulated development.
The minister stated that the ministry’s forthcoming urban development policy would focus on upgrading such areas to make them more habitable for residents.
“The goal is to transform informal settlements into dignified and liveable communities,” the minister said.
Darma also pledged to revisit the 1992 Urban and Regional Planning Law, which he said has not been fully implemented since its enactment.
He explained that the ministry would work closely with relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Regional Development and professional bodies, to ensure effective implementation of the law.
On local capacity development, the minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to engaging indigenous consultants for projects in the built environment sector, describing the move as a strategy to create jobs and strengthen local expertise.
The minister further urged professionals in the sector to embrace innovation and Artificial Intelligence, saying technological advancement would continue to shape the future of work.
Earlier, Chime said the institute’s visit was to congratulate the minister on his appointment and reaffirm the institute’s readiness to support the ministry in achieving its mandate.
He appealed for the full implementation of the Urban and Regional Planning Law, increased attention to urban renewal initiatives, replacement of retired professionals in the ministry, and improved funding for regulatory bodies in the sector.
Chime also invited the minister to the institute’s 60th anniversary and 57th International Conference scheduled to hold in Lagos in October.j
