Photo: RCE Minna

On October 1st, 2017, RCE Minna used Nigeria's Independence Day and World Habitat Day as an opportunity to  organise a Seminar with the theme: Youth and Leadership Development: The Panacea to Housing Challenges Nigeria. The event was an opportunity to reflect on the present state of housing conditions in the cities and the human right to basic shelter. The aim was to provide a platform for relevant stakeholders in the housing sector (government, private developers, citizen groups, youth and developmental organizations) to find solutions to the ever growing challenge to provide adequate to citizens in Nigeria.

The session discussed relevant points such as housing affordability and the youth’s role in the provision of housing. 

In summary: 
I. Efficient and effective policies: there is a need for policies that encourage better mortgage packages, ease of access to land, review laws that would promote proactive measures to combat housing problems and reduce the development of slums and sprawls within the city. This would enable a well-planned management strategy for the development of infrastructure, tax collection and promote cities that would allow for comfortability and convenience. 

II. Collaboration between the private and public sector: strong cooperations between these two sectors are needed

III. Societal perceptions: A massive sensitization to debunk societal perceptions about the ability of young citizens to own houses and the perception of youth as irresponsible and with little significance in the clamor for housing ownership should be carried out. Youth should also take up responsibilities in promoting community development and taking up leadership positions.

IV. Provision of enabling services in rural areas: to curb rural- urban migration that increases population in the urban areas and pressure on the infrastructure in urban areas, it is important that the government provides some amenities that would hold rural dwellers in their localities instead of moving to  urban areas.

V. More deliberate efforts to include youth in governance: the government should take ample advantage of the ideas and innovations of its youthful population and incorporate them in policy formulation, implementation and evaluation. . 
 
 Agenda and Introduction here

Presentation on Youth, Challenges and Solutions here

Bridge to the World Youth Camp 2017, Tongyeong, South Korea here

World Habitat Day 2017, RCE Minna, Ibrahim Akibu Ja'afaru here

Report on the Commemoration of Nigeria Independence Day and World Habitat Day here