Enugu’s move to regulate rent sparks debate on Lagos housing crisis

A new bill introduced in the Enugu State House of Assembly to regulate rent and real estate practices has reignited conversations about Lagos’ worsening housing crisis.

The bill, which aims to curb exploitative practices in the housing sector, was introduced last week and has since gained national attention.

With Lagos facing skyrocketing rent and mounting affordability challenges, the bill’s introduction has led to calls for similar action in Nigeria’s economic hub.

Many Lagos residents have long complained about arbitrary rent increases, excessive agency and legal fees, and unfair tenancy practices that make securing accommodation increasingly difficult.

Reacting to the development, Jubril Gawat, a senior special assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on New Media, hinted that Lagos might soon introduce its version of rent control.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gawat stated, “LAGOS … Coming Soon. A Very strong issue but must be well discussed and implemented, after deliberation by the Lagos House of Assembly.”

Read also: Top 12 things you should know as a tenant in Lagos

His statement has sparked mixed reactions, with some supporting regulation to protect tenants from exploitation, while others argue that such intervention could discourage investment in the real estate sector.

“Government intervention should not be about controlling rent because it will reduce incentives to invest in the housing market. If supply is low, rent will still rise, and landlords will simply find ways to bypass regulations,” an X user, Abayomi Adekoya, commented.

Some critics believe that government policies should instead focus on increasing the housing supply by addressing the rising cost of construction materials and creating incentives for developers to build more affordable homes.

“What happened to the government providing low-cost housing? Cement is N11k, a ton of iron is N1.2m, blocks are N900, and the naira is struggling. But let’s pretend landlords are the problem,” another user wrote.

“The solution is free-market policies that bring down the cost of cement and other raw materials while promoting development in areas outside the tiny economic hub that everyone wants to live in. But Nigerians love price controls,” another X user remarked.

On the other hand, many tenants say they are less concerned about rent prices and more frustrated with the additional costs imposed by landlords and agents. They argue that charges such as agency and legal fees often push the total cost of renting far beyond their means, making regulation necessary.

“Most times, I am not even angry about the rent itself, but the extra charges like agency, agreement, and legal fees. How can a house cost N1.5m, and then additional charges amount to N1.2m? That makes no sense,” Naheem Okunola said.

Others believe that landlords should not be allowed to charge the same rates for older buildings as they do for newly constructed apartments.

“Lagos State should regulate rent based on the age of a building. Imagine a landlord who built his house in the 1980s still charging the same rate as a newly built house,” Akande Alli added.

As the debate continues, Lagos residents are eager to see whether the state government will take concrete steps to address the growing housing crisis or if the issue will remain unresolved.