PM announces dedicated urbanisation office to drive housing and land reforms

Prime Minister James Marape has announced plans to establish a dedicated Urbanisation Office to drive major housing and land reforms across Papua New Guinea.

The new office will lead efforts to improve city planning, expand access to land, and upgrade settlements nationwide as part of the government’s broader urban development agenda.

Prime Minister Marape said the reforms aim to fix long-standing inefficiencies in the country’s land administration system and make land ownership more accessible for Papua New Guineans.

“Accessing land titles in this country should not feel like going to the moon and back. We are reforming this system to make it easier, faster, and fairer,” Prime Minister Marape said.

As part of the reforms, the Government, in partnership with the National Capital District Commission and other agencies, has identified land in Port Moresby’s northeast corridor for major residential development.

“We are looking at creating at least 5,000 new allotments in the city. This is part of a broader plan to provide organised, planned suburban living for our people,” he said.

The Prime Minister said priority for land allocation will be given to Papua New Guineans contributing to the economy, including workers, small business owners and taxpayers. He added that structured arrangements with employers and institutions such as the Internal Revenue Commission will help improve transparency and efficiency.

He also revealed plans for a state-supported, long-term housing finance scheme aimed at promoting generational ownership.

“We are designing a 49-year loan program with State support, an intergenerational model where parents begin ownership, and children can continue. This is about building lasting security for families.”

Prime Minister Marape said the Government will also explore voluntary resettlement options for people facing challenges sustaining urban livelihoods, working with provincial governments to support reintegration.

He added that stronger coordination between national and provincial authorities is needed to unlock land for structured development and reduce the growth of unplanned settlements.

“Our goal is to eliminate unplanned settlements by 2030, or no later than 2035, and replace them with organised, serviced communities where our people can live with dignity,” he said.

“Government cannot ignore the land issue any longer. This is one of the most critical development challenges we face, and we are taking decisive action to fix it,” Prime Minister Marape said.