When Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu commissioned some roads recently at communities in Agboyi-Ketu, Igando-Ikotun and some other Local Government/Council Development Area of the state, he appealed landlords not to increase house rents.
The Governor’s plea is a backdrop to the unethical traditions of landlords and other property owners to arbitrarily inflate rent charges for feeling that property values rises with improved infrastructure development, thus attracting new settlers in search of decent home/office accommodation.
“Please do not increase your house rent because we are not doing this for you to put a burden on your tenants. The value of your property may have gone up, but I am begging you, do not use this as an opportunity to exploit tenants,” Sanwo-Olu said.
However, Sanwo-Olu’s appeal did not deter the landlords whose recent culture of exorbitant rent charges is not limited to new road commissioning. Findings by NewsClick Nigeria revealed that landlords in the state now increase rents on yearly basis with as much as 100% or more with no prior communication of such intention to the tenants who are always on tight family budget. Some come under the disguise of wanting to renovate their houses and either ask the occupier of the apartment to leave or pay higher rent equivalent to what a new tenant would have paid.
Many of the tenants who spoke with NewsClick Nigeria‘s reporters bemoaned the Lagos State Government for leaving them hanging in the balance with the landlords.
Landlords insensitive to our struggles, new rent not commensurate with house standard – Tenants
“When I moved in, my rent was ₦200,000. Then it became ₦300,000, and now I’m being asked to pay ₦500,000. It’s just too much. I feel bad—this is just cruelty and greed from the landlord,” Mrs Martins could not hide her resentment when speaking with our reporter.
Asked if there was any upgrade on the property with the new rent, she responded: “No, nothing has been done. The building is the same. We were expecting something—anything—but there’s been zero change.”
“Getting the landord to carry out repairs is hard. He doesn’t live here, so he tells us to fix everything ourselves, even major issues. It’s not fair.
“No, it’s not. The price isn’t justifiable. The place hasn’t improved at all, and the location isn’t worth such a high price.”
She emphasised that basic services aren’t even provided adequately.
” Electricity is unstable, waste disposal is inconsistent, and there’s little security. We mostly fend for ourselves.”
She then called on the government to provide low costing housing options while she also made her decision to get a new place known.
“Definitely. I also think the government should provide more low-cost housing options. That would really help people like us.”
“Yes, I’m currently searching for a new place. The power situation is terrible, there are security concerns, and the building is falling apart. I need a safer and better-managed home.”
Mrs Bimbo lives in an highbrow area. Her rent increased by over N1.2 million in one year. While she agreed that the area justified the rent, however, the property does not. She is considering relocating as the new rent is out of her financial reach.
“My rent jumped by ₦1.2 million in just one year. It’s a huge increase and very overwhelming financially. It’s not something I was prepared for.
“The location justifies a higher rent—it’s in a central area. But in terms of condition, not at all. The apartment hasn’t been upgraded significantly.”
“No, they’re poorly managed. You end up having to provide everything yourself, from light to water, even security sometimes.”
“Just the windows were changed—from louvers to casement. That’s it. For the amount I now pay, more improvements are expected.”
“They don’t respond well. In fact, they act like there’s nothing to be done. It’s as though they think the current state is good enough.”
“Without a regulatory body, landlords will keep increasing rent arbitrarily. We need checks and balances in the housing sector.”
“Yes, I’ve been thinking about relocating. I want a better environment to raise my children—somewhere safer, with good schools and basic amenities. That’s very important to me.”
Another tenant, Mrs Barakat said her rent jumped from N150,000 to N250,000 in two years. She said though amenities are good, however, the landlord’s reasons for increasing the rent is not tenable. She is also not considering relocating because it will be way more expensive for her family.
“My rent increased from ₦150,000 to ₦250,000 over the last two years. I felt really sad. It was a sharp rise, and it came during a tough period financially.”
“The landlord said the hike was because of the rising cost of living, but I don’t think the condition of the house has improved enough to match the new amount.” She said
“Yes, those services are fairly okay where I live. We have water and waste disposal regularly, and the compound is reasonably secure.”
“Just a little—nothing major and not everything that was promised. We were told they would do more, but they didn’t follow through.”
“Once they collect the rent, they stop showing up. You’re on your own after that, no matter the issue. It’s frustrating.”
“Yes, government oversight is badly needed. There should be policies to check landlords and make them accountable.”
“Yes, but due to financial constraints, we are still managing. Moving isn’t affordable right now, so we’re enduring the situation.”
For Mr Emmanuel Oretade, his landlord’s response whenever he requests for ammenities to be fixed is ‘go and fix it yourself’.
“My rent increased from 350k-500k, almost doubled the price in such a short year, definitely I’m not happy about it”
He made it known that most times landlords just increase rent due to what they hear from their fellow landlords and agents likewise.
“Not justified, it’s just the landlord wanting to change things as he or she has heard from fellow landlords or so called “agents””
“Essential services are at the average level, because we’re also part of those providing or maintaining it for ourselves like the security operations”
“None, no improvement at all except when the water tank fell, they replaced it with another”
“Like they would say “go and fix it yourself”, pressuring the landlord will only bring quit notice early”
“Government? I have long stop believing in them because they know about it, except they would prove otherwise by regulating this ridiculous pricing of landlords and landladies ”
“Not yet, because rent hike issue it’s almost the same everywhere, what I consider is building mine”
Mr Damilola was uncomfortable when his landlord announced a sudden increment of his rent from N700,000 to N1,000,000. He said despite the increment, he undertakes major repair works in his flat.
“My rent increased from 700k to 1 million. I feel its a lot due to the current economic situation and for the fact that there was no notice whatsoever. I was just called by my landlord only to be informed rent i was supposed to pay in less than a month time has been increased with a whooping 300k. Who does that ? What if I couldn’t afford it ? So sad.
“In a manner of speaking, Yes, because compared to other rent fees around my area, I feel my rent is still fair.”
“Yes, we have cleaners and waste management company come around around weekly.”
“The only renovation I’ve seen since then is paint job mostly. That’s all”
“Mostly, I perform maintenance and repairs from my pockets. Involving landlord is a waste of time, and to think they collect maintenance fee”.
” I believe government can implement laws to govern real estate businesses especially agents because that Arbitrary rent increase is my own issue. Government need to see to it. Its not fair at all.”
“I haven’t thought about relocating for now because it’s same everywhere”
Mr Kunle’s landlord served him a quit notice in less than a year of packing into the house with the ulterior motives of increment. While he’s still in the said property, however, he is open to relocating if he gets a better paying job in neighbouring states.
“My rent has increased by about 50-100k in the past two years, it’s very unbelievable one landlord served me quit notice just because he wants to increase the rent in just one year of living in the house.”
“It’s not justified, especially in Lagos, tiny houses, low water supply and a lot more but the prices are high and when it comes to agents, those ones are another case entirely.”
“There is water in my compound but about 4 flats and 2 boys quarters share just one tank and the landlord doesn’t see anything wrong about that. Water finishes at every minute. Electricity is still quite manageable even though the prepaid meter has been faulty for over a year and landlord is yet to get another.”
“When I rented my apartment about two years ago, I met a part of the fence collapsed but agent and landlord promised to fix it asap but it’s been two years now and the fence is still as it is. I believe if any repairs or renovations will be done, the fence will be the first to be attended to.”
“Just excuses upon excuses, no action whatsoever will be taken.”
“Yes, I feel Lagos state should really take action against housing agencies most especially, considering the fact that Lagos is becoming a mega city. Government regulations should be implemented and enforced.”
“Yes, I would have considered moving out of Lagos entirely but my job wouldn’t let me move, if I get a well paying job in Oyo or Osun, I’ll move out of Lagos as soon as possible.”
Chinedu Okafor lives in Ajah. His rent moved from N800,000 to N1,500,000 per annum in less than two years. However, despite the astronomical increase, essential amenities in his apartment as he puts it are still ‘shaky’.
“My rent was ₦800,000 per year two years ago and it’s now ₦1,500,000. It feels outrageous and stressful – Lagos rent hikes have been brutal. I feel really squeezed by how quickly rent is rising.”
“Rent Justified: Not really. The apartment is in a decent location, but the condition is only average. The walls are peeling and the paint is old; we got no recent upgrades. It seems landlords here raise rent mainly to chase inflation, not to improve the place. So I feel my current rent is too high for what I’m getting.”
“Essential utilities are shaky. Electricity often goes out, so we rely on a shared generator (we each pitch in for fuel). Water is delivered by tanker or pumped from a borehole on-site, and it sometimes runs out. Waste collection is irregular, we pay a private waste handler. Security is provided by a night guard, but he only comes at night. Overall, basic utilities here feel inadequate for the rent we pay.”
“No improvement worth mentioning. Ever since my rent went up, the only “improvement” has been a fresh coat of paint once two years ago. The landlord has not renovated anything new (no new fixtures, no plumbing upgrades, etc.). I received no notice or justification, just an increased bill.”
” In Lagos, landlords often ignore the simplest repairs, leaving tenants to cope. Calling or WhatsApping the landlord usually gets excuses. I’ve had to pay out of pocket for minor fixes (like replacing a fuse) because the landlord never shows up. It feels like tenants must nag or wait forever before things get done.”
” Absolutely. I think stronger oversight is needed. Right now, landlords can hike rent arbitrarily, and enforcement of tenancy laws is lax. More regulation and real enforcement (plus penalties for violators) would protect renters like me.”
“I have thought about moving, but it’s complicated. Some of my friends moved to slightly farther areas to escape high rent, but they often ended up paying more anyway. I worry a move will just swap high rent for long commutes. Still, if the rent keeps going up and conditions don’t improve, I might be forced to relocate.”
Adeola Agbaje stays in a one-bedroom flat in Sangotedo and pays ₦600,000 per year. Before his first year rent expired, the landlord had upped it to N1,000,000. And yet the apartment is poorly maintained.
” I moved into this one-bedroom flat in Sangotedo a year ago at ₦600,000 per year. Just before the renewal this year, the landlord upped it to ₦1,000,000. I was shocked, that kind of jump feels unfair. Lagos rents have gone crazy recently so I suppose this is part of that trend. Still, it’s very painful on my budget; I feel angry and a bit desperate having to find the extra money all at once.
” The apartment is basic and poorly maintained. The floor tiles are cracked and the toilet tank is loose. For ₦600k/year, I’d expect a nicer place. I heard that many Lagos tenants get big hikes “even when the house hasn’t been painted or upgraded”. Here, I got nothing new no new fixtures, no maintenance. So I feel the rent is far higher than the value of this apartment and location.”
“Services: It’s rough. Electricity is extremely unreliable the power hardly comes for more than a few hours per day. i had to buy a generator Water supply is also spotty: we usually buy from a private tanker as the water is not clean and very smelly. Security is minimal: just a locking gate on the compound, but no actual guard. In short, I pay high rent but still have to pay extra for generator fuel and water.”
“After the rent hike, the landlord did nothing. No repairs, no painting, no upgrades of any kind. The place feels even more run-down now that I’m paying more. I haven’t seen a single improvement to the flat or compound since moving in the rent went up, but my living conditions did not.”
“It’s very difficult to get anything fixed. Landlords here often delay repairs or ignore them. To get help, I usually have to keep pestering the agent or pay a handyman myself. The language and excuses (like “I sent someone” or “it’s scheduled next week”) sound hollow. I feel completely powerless to enforce maintenance it’s as if once they have my money, they disappear.”
“I definitely think stronger regulation is needed. Right now landlords can just increase rent however they please and tenants have little recourse. Rent control or at least strict enforcement of existing rules would help tenants a lot. As a young renter, I support any move that protects tenants from sudden, unjustified increases.”
” If rent keeps rising or utilities don’t improve, I’ll likely move farther out (maybe to Ibeju or Ogun State) where things are cheaper. However, I worry about transport costs and finding work. staying means sky-high rent, but moving means long commute and new hassles (like hefty agent and caution fees). Right now I’m inclined to stay put until absolutely necessary, because moving hasn’t seemed like a real solution for others I know.”
Kunle Adeyemi lives on Abraham Adesanya in Ajah. His annual rent which started at N950,000 is now N2,000,000 in less than two years.
“Over the past two years, my annual rent at Abraham Adesanya climbed from about ₦950,000 to ₦2,000,000. so our jump is unfortunately in line with those trends. I feel squeezed: like many middle-class renters, I wasn’t expecting such a dramatic hike so quickly. It has definitely tightened our family budget.”
“I try to see the positives – this is a convenient location near my work, and the complex has a nice compound. But honestly, the apartment itself is not that impressive for the price. The walls needed repainting and the kitchen taps were wobbly, even after we moved in. Recently the landlord replaced the rusted gate latch, but other than that I’ve seen no upgrades. So I feel the new rent is a bit unjustified by the actual condition of the flat. We’re paying a lot more without getting many improvements in return”
“Services in our compound are somewhat better than some places: we have our own generator (on 24/7 standby) and a borehole for water. But we still pitch in for diesel (about ₦10,000 per month each). Electricity here is good although we use the generator sometimes. Water from the borehole is clean and regular. there’s a known shortage of reliable power and water in most areas. Here, at least, we avoid total outage, but we pay extra for it. In summary, essential services are handled but at additional effort and expense.”
” Only minor improvements. After the last rent raise, the landlord did fix a leaky roof and did one repainting of the main gate area. Those were welcome, but small. The apartment’s interior got no upgrades nothing fancy. Given our rent went up, it wasn’t a substantial renovation. I appreciate that some things were fixed, but it’s not like we got a brand-new kitchen or anything. It feels mostly symbolic.”
“Lagos landlords often ignore the simplest repairs, letting issues linger, and I see that here. Usually I escalate by talking to the agent’s boss or complaining on social media. Even then, sometimes nothing happens. The attitude seems to be “you have paid, so tough luck” unless you threaten legal action. It’s a real headache to ensure basics like plumbing or electrics are maintained.”
” stronger oversight would help. I support measures like monthly rent payments and caps on rent hikes that I’ve heard Lagos is working on. Right now rent is a private contract matter, so if a landlord chooses to quadruple rent (and you can’t pay), you’re stuck. it’s only fair that rent increases be tied to real improvements or at least to inflation, not arbitrary greed.”
” Definitely on my mind. With two young kids, I worry about affordability long-term. We have thought about moving to a more affordable city or even another country for a few years. Closer options would be moving to somewhere like Isolo or even Ogun State, where the cost of living is lower. But that means longer commutes (or changing jobs) and uprooting the family. For us, if rent keeps jumping and services don’t improve, we’ll likely have to relocate despite the hassles but only if it truly saves money overall.”
LASG promise of monthly rent payment yet to materialise after three years
Despite assurances for over three years of by the Lagos State Government of plans to introduce monthly and quarterly rent payment options as part of efforts to reduce the financial pressure on residents, especially low-income earners, however, this still remains one of the several unfulfilled government promises.
At the second Lagos Real Estate MarketPlace Conference and Exhibitions which was held in December 2021, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Housing, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, had said that the initiative of a monthly rent payment scheme would commence soon in the state ‘soon’.
She said the new initiative was going to greatly ease the burden of yearly payment on residents. Benson-Awoyinka also assured landlords in the state that they would get their annual payment of house rent upfront, while tenants would no longer have the burden of yearly payment of a huge amount of money.
She said, “Tenants can therefore use the yearly payment for other forms of investments or for payment of school fees as the burden of payment of yearly rent is taken away from them completely. So, it is a win-win social investment scheme, it is a good one and it is applaudable.”
In similar submission, the state’s Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, earlier this year said the planned policy is a continuation of the state’s drive to make housing more accessible and affordable.
He noted that many residents find annual rent payments difficult and that the new system is expected to provide relief.
“We believe that monthly or quarterly payment options will give people more breathing space and reduce the stress associated with sourcing lump sums,” he added.
However, tenants are at the receiving end of these delayed policies and poorly monitored government’s action plans at stemming what is almost becoming a statewide housing crisis.