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The House of Representatives Committee on Urban Development and Regional Planning voiced its concerns regarding the transformation of residential zones into commercial and semi-industrial areas.
The Committee Chairman, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, raised this issue during the appearance of Dr. Shuaib Belgore, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, who was there to discuss the 2024 budget performance and the proposal for 2025.
Abiante emphasized that in addition to providing housing, proper town planning is essential to prevent the emergence of slums.
He stated, “We have also expressed concerns about the conversion of residential areas into commercial and semi-industrial zones, which come with their own challenges. We believe that before such conversions are approved, an impact assessment should be conducted.”
He continued, “We hope that for both existing and upcoming estates, comprehensive assessments will be carried out to avoid creating more issues while trying to resolve existing ones. A clear example is the Trademore Estate in Abuja, which was intended to address accommodation challenges but now faces annual flooding problems.”
Abiante pointed out that part of the issue lies in the need for an enabling act related to town planning.
He mentioned that efforts have begun to repeal and re-enact the relevant legislation concerning the town planning profession.
“The bill has completed its first reading, and we aim to advance it further while engaging with Nigerians to promote this cause,” he added.
He also expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progress on the Renewed Hope Estate.
The Permanent Secretary mentioned that the ministry is considering the establishment of a national housing regulatory authority to ensure standardization in building regulations.
However, he lamented the budget cuts, noting that the ministry's budget was reduced from N162 billion in 2024 to N83.7 billion in 2025.
“We believe this budget is severely insufficient. Our 2024 budget was halved, dropping from 162 billion to 83 billion. Of the 83 billion, the Urban and Regional Development Department has been allocated N4.6 billion for various projects as detailed in the larger document before you,” he stated.
He expressed the ministry's intention to enhance its slum upgrading and urban renewal initiatives across all 36 states and appealed for the committee's support to secure additional funding to fulfill the ministry's responsibilities.
