Nigeria Launches Performance-Driven Push to Build 20,000 Affordable Homes

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has announced a goal to build 20,000 affordable homes in 2025. This is part of a broader shift toward measuring performance in how ministries work.

At a leadership retreat in Abuja on July 3 and 4, top ministry officials focused on how to meet targets and stay accountable. Minister Ahmed Dangiwa said the event was meant to strengthen efficiency and service across all departments.

Officials signed a “presidential performance bond.” This is a formal agreement to meet goals, tracked through goal sheets and online dashboards that monitor progress in real time.

The main targets for 2025 include:

• Building 20,000 homes under the Renewed Hope Housing Program to create jobs and boost the economy

• Offering financial incentives to encourage local production of building materials

• Expanding the National Land Registration and Documentation Program in partnership with state governments

Dr. Shuaib Belgore, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, said that setting and tracking goals is now mandatory under Nigeria’s updated civil service rules from 2021. He added that this system helps ensure transparency, spot skills gaps, and hold officials accountable for national development.

At the end of the retreat, all directors and unit heads signed performance contracts. This showed their commitment to delivering on the ministry’s targets and contributing to Nigeria’s housing goals in 2025.