By John Umeh
The House of Representatives has proposed a nationwide policy to cap rent increases at no more than 20 per cent, in a bid to curb the rising cases of arbitrary rent hikes that have placed immense financial strain on Nigerian tenants.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Hon. Bassey Akiba, representing Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency, titled “Need to Regulate Arbitrary Rent Increase and Protect Tenants from Exploitation.”
Akiba lamented that many landlords across the country exploit the housing shortage by arbitrarily increasing rent without due consideration for tenants’ economic realities or improvements made to properties. He noted that the absence of rent control mechanisms has worsened Nigeria’s housing crisis and widened inequality.
“The burden of housing is becoming unbearable for ordinary Nigerians,” Akiba said. “We must ensure that tenants are not priced out of their homes by unregulated rent hikes.”
Adopting the motion, the House resolved that no rent increment should exceed 20 per cent of the current rate, irrespective of renovations or infrastructure upgrades. Lawmakers also urged the Federal Government to accelerate investment in affordable housing projects to ease pressure on the rental market and improve access to low-cost accommodation.
In a related motion, the House directed the Inspector-General of Police and the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to ensure that all security officers at checkpoints wear visible identification, citing growing concerns over the operations of plainclothes officers who intimidate commuters and evade accountability.
The lawmakers said the new rent regulation proposal aligns with earlier actions by the Lagos State House of Assembly, which had urged the enforcement of the Lagos State Tenancy Law of 2015 to protect tenants from unreasonable rent hikes.
Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh, who sponsored the Lagos motion earlier this year, explained that unchecked rent increases were worsening the state’s housing challenges. He cited Section 37 of the Tenancy Law, which explicitly prohibits unjustified rent hikes and provides legal remedies for exploited tenants.
The Reps further tasked the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to engage with state governments and relevant housing agencies to formulate a National Tenancy Regulation Framework, ensuring uniform rent control policies across all states.
If implemented, the 20 per cent rent cap could mark a significant step toward stabilising Nigeria’s volatile housing market and protecting millions of tenants from exploitation.
