President Bola Tinubu has formally sworn in Dr Muttaqha Darma as the new Minister of Housing and Urban Development at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The oath-taking ceremony took place inside the President’s Conference Room shortly before 4 p.m., marking Darma’s official entry into the Federal Executive Council.
Darma, who previously served as Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, was cleared by the Senate after lawmakers screened him following his nomination by the President. His confirmation came a day after the request was read on the Senate floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
During his appearance before senators, Darma highlighted the urgency of tackling Nigeria’s housing shortfall, noting that tens of millions of citizens lack access to decent accommodation. He promised stronger collaboration with the National Assembly to introduce reforms, expand affordable housing options, and improve institutional performance within the sector.
He takes over from Ahmed Dangiwa, whose departure was part of a minor cabinet reshuffle announced earlier in the week.
Explaining the changes, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume said the adjustments were designed to improve coordination in governance and accelerate delivery on the administration’s Renewed Hope agenda.
Dangiwa completed the formal handover of the ministry’s responsibilities on Thursday, in line with directives from the SGF’s office to ensure a smooth transition before the close of work.
