Activist proposes cap on agency fees and shift to monthly rent to ease burden on Nigerians
By Danjuma AMODU
ABUJA – Human rights activist and legal practitioner, Deji Adeyanju, has urged President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on Nigeria’s housing sector, citing soaring rents, a widening housing deficit and widespread exploitation of tenants by landlords and estate agents.
In an open letter addressed to the President on Monday, Adeyanju described the worsening housing situation in Abuja, Lagos and other major cities as a “national emergency” that demands urgent executive and legislative intervention.
He said Nigeria’s rental market has become increasingly predatory, with tenants compelled to pay several years’ rent in advance, alongside excessive agency fees, legal fees, service charges and non-refundable caution deposits.
According to him, the practice has placed an unbearable financial burden on civil servants, young professionals, artisans and other low-income earners struggling to secure accommodation.
Adeyanju argued that access to adequate housing is a constitutional obligation of government. He cited Sections 14 and 16 of the 1999 Constitution, which mandate the state to ensure the security, welfare and shelter of citizens. He also referenced Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which recognises adequate housing as a fundamental human right.
The activist further cautioned that ongoing urban renewal projects must not lead to the displacement of low- and middle-income residents.
-“There can be no genuine urban development or urban renewal without a master plan that explicitly caters to the everyday people who power our national economy.”_
– Deji Adeyanju
To address the crisis, Adeyanju called on Tinubu to constitute a Presidential Task Force to develop a National Housing and Tenancy Policy within 90 days, and to transmit an Executive Bill to the National Assembly to establish fair rent standards nationwide.
His key proposals include:
- Capping fees: Agency and legal fees should not exceed 7.5% of annual rent combined
- Service charges: Capped at 5% and must be transparent and audited
- Advance rent: Limited to a maximum of one year, with a transition to monthly rental payments
- Caution fees: Total abolition of non-refundable caution deposits
- Accountability: Creation of a digital tenant reporting platform and stricter sanctions for violators
Adeyanju also urged the Federal Government to expand investment in affordable housing through social housing programmes, tax incentives and public-private partnerships targeted at low- and middle-income Nigerians.
He said resolving the housing crisis is critical to protecting citizens’ dignity and welfare, adding that “history will judge the Tinubu administration by the steps it takes to make decent and affordable housing accessible to Nigerians.”
