The House of Representatives has called on the federal government to work with state governments to regulate house rents across the country.
The decision was made during plenary on Thursday after lawmakers adopted a motion sponsored by Bassey Akiba, a member representing Cross River State.
Akiba said many Nigerians are struggling with high living costs, and rising rent prices are making life even harder for families and small businesses. He noted that in many areas, landlords sharply increase rent prices whenever new infrastructure—such as roads, markets, or schools—is built nearby.
According to him, “rents in parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where new roads have been constructed have jumped from ₦800,000 to ₦2.5 million per year, making it almost impossible for average Nigerians to afford accommodation.”
He warned that such “sudden and exploitative” rent increases go against the government’s efforts to improve citizens’ welfare through infrastructure projects, adding that some people are being pushed into hardship and even crime just to meet inflated rent demands.
The lawmaker emphasised that there is an urgent need to protect tenants from unfair treatment while ensuring that property owners’ rights are respected.
After debating the motion, the House resolved that the federal government should:
- Invest more in affordable housing projects to ease pressure on the rental market;
- Work with states to enforce rent control laws, ensuring rent increases do not exceed 20% of the current rent, even when new infrastructure is introduced; and
- Ensure that public projects do not lead to exploitative rent hikes.
The House also directed its Committee on Housing and Habitat to monitor the implementation of the resolution and report back within four weeks.
This discussion comes as housing experts continue to warn about Nigeria’s worsening housing deficit. In July, real estate stakeholders raised concerns about the high cost of land, which they said is one of the major reasons housing remains unaffordable for many Nigerians.
They urged the government to intervene to reduce land costs and create more low-cost housing options for middle and low-income earners.
