President Tinubu Inaugurates BUK Alumnus Dr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma as Minister of Housing and Urban Development

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), Bayo Onanuga, today Friday, 24th April, 2026, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administered the oath of office to Dr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma as the new Minister of Housing and Urban Development, following his confirmation by the Senate.

The new minister, a distinguished scholar and development expert from Katsina State, was sworn in at a short ceremony held at the State House, after the Senate clearance process.

Dr. Darma is a Nigerian scholar, administrator, and development expert. He holds a Doctor of Business Administration degree from the University of Liverpool and a PhD in Industrial Engineering from Atlantic International University, USA. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bayero University Kano (BUK), and later obtained a Master’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Benin.

A member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and the Nigerian Institute of Management, Dr. Darma served as Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) from 2008 to 2012. He subsequently held key positions, including Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, and Commissioner for Rural and Social Development in Katsina State.

He has also contributed to academia as a lecturer at Bayero University, Kano and has published widely in areas related to governance and development. Prior to the appointment, he served as President of the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Human Development Centre in Katsina.

The President said Dr. Darma has a “very rich and interesting background,” adding that the country requires “competent hands” like him. He further emphasized that Dr. Darma has rendered valuable services across the various assignments he has undertaken and described him as “a fitting peg in the right position.”