The Federal Government has unveiled plans to impose financial penalties on owners of unoccupied buildings as part of efforts to address Nigeria’s housing deficit.
Housing and Urban Development Minister Ahmed Musa Dangiwa announced this while speaking with The Nation.
The minister said property owners who refuse to lease or sell their vacant buildings may face increased ground rent charges.
“If we claim there is a housing deficit while so many buildings remain unoccupied, then something is wrong.
“We can’t force anyone to lease or sell, but we can make it financially inconvenient to hold onto empty properties. For instance, if you refuse to rent out a house worth N5 million annually but the government imposes a N3 million ground rent, you’ll be more inclined to lease it rather than bear the high cost.”
To drive the government policy, Dangiwa said the ministry is taking a nationwide inventory of unoccupied buildings, which he said would soon be completed.
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According to him, legal experts are reviewing the best approach to implement these measures without infringing on property rights.
Also, Dangiwa announced that the government would be cracking down on contractors delivering substandard work on the Renewed Hope City housing projects.
The minister said some contractors have been using low-quality materials and cutting corners, expecting to fix defects later during plastering.
“We have received reports of substandard construction, and we will not tolerate it. Any contractor found guilty will face sanctions, including contract termination,” he warned.
Dangiwa said the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has strengthened its supervision structure, with liaison offices in all the 36 states having experts, including architects, quantity surveyors, and builders to ensure compliance.
He expressed the confidence that the government’s decisive stance signaled a shift towards stricter housing regulations to tackle affordability crisis and quality of housing across Nigeria.