About 52 million people Across Africa are lacking adequate housing
Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, who also serves as the Chair of the Executive Board of UN Habitat and the Chair of the 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) Bureau of the Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB), is advocating for a strategic partnership between ShafDB and UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme.
According to Arc. Dangiwa, this bold move is crucial in addressing Africa’s urgent housing challenges. He emphasizes that effective long-term management of the housing crisis on the continent relies on collaborations like this.
During a dinner hosted by ShafDB at their headquarters in Nairobi, Arc. Dangiwa expressed his belief that the partnership between ShafDB and UN-Habitat would be mutually beneficial in achieving their respective goals in Africa.
“As the chair of the AGM bureau of Shelter Afrique Development Bank and the executive board of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, I am committed to fostering strategic collaboration between these two institutions. I firmly believe that the alliance between ShafDB and UN-Habitat will be instrumental in addressing the housing deficit and promoting sustainable development across Africa,” stated Arc. Dangiwa.
He further emphasized that by leveraging their strengths, expertise, resources, and the ability to secure concessional funding from development finance institutions, this partnership can significantly increase the scale of their interventions and accelerate progress towards the shared goal of affordable housing for all.
Shelter Afrique Development Bank Managing Director, Thierno Habib Hann, praised this initiative, highlighting that the collaboration between the two institutions will allow them to combine their strengths and implement innovative solutions tailored to Africa’s diverse housing landscape.
Mr. Hann highlighted the potential for collaboration between ShafDB and UN-Habitat in various areas such as financing, research, data exchange, capacity building, policy development, and community participation. It is advantageous that both organizations are located in Nairobi and have a deep understanding of Africa’s housing challenges.
H.E Arc. Dangiwa emphasized the urgent need for affordable and environmentally friendly housing due to Africa’s rapid urbanization and population growth. With approximately 52 million people lacking adequate housing, this issue has significant socioeconomic implications. Arc. Dangiwa called on ShafDB to implement initiatives that empower governments, developers, and communities to undertake large-scale housing projects and address the housing deficit.
Shelter Afrique Development Bank, a Pan-African multilateral development finance institution dedicated to financing and promoting housing and urban infrastructure development, possesses valuable expertise and resources in the housing sector. On the other hand, UN-Habitat, as the United Nations’ program focused on sustainable urban development, brings global expertise and strategic insight to the collaboration.
