The Minister of Urban and Rural Development of the Republic of Namibia, Hon. Sankwasa James Sankwasa, has commended Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Housing Programme and the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme, describing them as effective policy tools for expanding affordable housing and promoting homeownership.
Sankwasa made the remarks during a courtesy visit to Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, at his office in Abuja.
The Namibian minister, whose portfolio covers regional and local governance as well as housing development, said his country faces significant housing challenges, largely due to the rapid expansion of informal settlements.
He noted that Namibia has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to address the issue, including free land titling for low-income citizens, structured identification of development zones and strong collaboration with development partners.
According to him, development partners are fully integrated into Namibia’s national housing framework and budgetary planning.
While partners support housing construction, he explained that the Namibian government provides essential infrastructure to ensure sustainability and livability of housing developments.
Sankwasa said he was in Nigeria to attend the 2025 Africa Housing Awards and considered it important to engage with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to exchange ideas and share experiences on affordable housing delivery across the continent.
In his response, Arc. Dangiwa welcomed the Namibian delegation and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to South-South cooperation and knowledge-sharing in housing and urban development.
The minister described the Renewed Hope Housing Programme as a flagship initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, aimed at transforming housing delivery in Nigeria through a coordinated national framework.
He said the programme covers Renewed Hope Cities, Renewed Hope Estates, social housing, urban renewal and slum upgrading.
Dangiwa also highlighted the National Housing Fund as a critical and sustainable housing finance mechanism that mobilises long-term funds to provide affordable mortgages for Nigerian workers, while strengthening institutional delivery through agencies such as the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.
He assured the Namibian minister of Nigeria’s readiness to share technical expertise, policy frameworks and implementation experiences, noting that Africa’s housing challenges require home-grown solutions, regional collaboration and strong public-private partnerships.