Lawmakers have raised alarm over rising rent costs nationwide, urging limits on arbitrary increases that burden tenants.
They called for affordable housing projects and stricter enforcement to protect renters from exploitation.
The House of Representatives has condemned the rising cost of rent across Nigeria, insisting that landlords should not raise rents by more than 20 percent of the current rate, regardless of building improvements or other factors.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Bassey Akiba, who represents Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency. The motion, titled “Need to Regulate Arbitrary Rent Increase and Protect Tenants from Exploitation,” highlighted the growing financial burden faced by renters across the country.
Lawmakers urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts in developing affordable housing projects to give citizens access to low-cost accommodation and reduce pressure on the private rental market.
In another resolution, 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 personnel at checkpoints who operate in plain clothes are properly identified. They stressed that the lack of visible identification among such officers violates international standards and weakens public accountability.
The call by the National Assembly mirrors an earlier stance taken by the Lagos State House of Assembly in April, which urged strict enforcement of the Lagos State Tenancy Law of 2015 to curb unreasonable rent increases.
The Lagos lawmakers also tasked the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, to intensify public awareness campaigns so residents can better understand their rights as tenants.
Sa’ad Olumoh, who moved the motion in Lagos, noted that frequent and excessive rent hikes are worsening the state’s housing challenges. He cited provisions in the 2015 Tenancy Law that restrict unjustified rent increases and empower tenants to seek legal protection against exploitation.
