Minister of housing and urban development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has disclosed the intention of the federal government to establish a National Land Commission in order to enhance land administration matters in Nigeria.
A press release signed by the director of information, Federal Ministry Of Housing and Urban Development, Salisu Haiba Badamasi, stated that Dangiwa made the disclosure, yesterday while declaring open the 28th Conference of Directors of Land holding in Lagos.
The minister said the Commission, when established, would serve as a complimentary institution that would provide necessary framework, guidelines and regulation operationalising the Land Use Act of 1978 to achieve efficient land administration in Nigeria.
He also acknowledged that some of the challenges impeding efficient land administration in Nigeria were beyond the capacity of the Conference and Directors to resolve, pointing out, the most fundamental ones such as the Land Use Act 1978 which he said would require legislative amendments and national government policy interventions.
“Currently we have a situation where the Land Use Act was enacted in 1978 but there was no complementary institution set up alongside it to provide the necessary framework, guidelines, and regulations for operationalising it. We are working to establish a National Land Commission that would fix this gap and chart a new way forward for effective land administration in the country.
“The National Land Commission when established will improve land titling and boost Nigeria’s ranking on the World Bank Ease of Doing Business where we currently rank 186th out of 190 countries on the World , Ease of Doing Business index in terms of ease of registering properties, land reform strategy.
“The notable part of our broad housing sector reforms includes the implementation of comprehensive land reforms towards streamlining land administration and ensuring easy, cost effective and efficient access to land in our country,” he stated.
The theme of the 28th Conference is “Improving Land-Based Revenue of the Federating Units in Nigeria through Efficient and Effective Land Administration.”
