For many, the dream of living comfortably in Nigeria’s cities is quickly being overshadowed by the harsh reality of skyrocketing rent. From teachers to bankers and creatives, residents are feeling the financial pinch—and they’re speaking out.
The stress is negatively impacting on the health of many citizens.
From ₦95,000 to ₦450,000: A steep climb
Seun Olaogun, a teacher living in Lagos, recalls a time not long ago when he paid just ₦95,000 annually for her mini flat—a room and parlour apartment. Today, he coughs out ₦450,000 for the same level of accommodation.
“Though it doesn’t really worth it, compared to what my friends are paying, I still consider myself lucky,” he admits. But the impact on his finances is profound. “Once you pay rent, you’re forced to manage every other aspect of your life. Feeding, savings—it all suffers.”
The cost isn’t just financial—it’s emotional
For Hannah Adeyeye, a banker, the cost of rent increased from ₦250,000 to ₦450,000 for her self-contained apartment. “It has caused a lot of emotional stress,” she says. “It even sparked issues within my family.”
Photographer Ibrahim Abdul shares a similar sentiment. “I pay ₦800,000 now for a self-con that used to be ₦450,000 in 2020. It’s not even worth it, space-wise,” he says. “I’ve tried to negotiate, but landlords aren’t interested. They threaten you with a quick notice if you complain.”
Negotiation is a joke, relocation is a gamble
Most tenants say trying to negotiate with landlords is pointless. “They’ll tell you to leave if you can’t pay—there’s always someone else ready to pay more,” Seun explains.
Relocating, though, comes with its own headaches: agency and agreement fees, moving costs, disruption to children’s education, and long commutes. “You think of your job, your kids’ school, and you just stay put,” he adds.
Is the government listening? Many say no
While some acknowledge government attempts to address housing issues, most residents believe those efforts are falling short. “They’ve made some laws, but there’s no enforcement,” says Seun. “Landlords just say, ‘Did government buy cement or build the house for me?’”
Ibrahim is even more blunt: “They don’t care about us. If they did, housing wouldn’t be like this.”
Survival Tactics: Co-living, Side Hustles, and Leaving Lagos
To survive, residents are getting creative. Many are now sharing apartments or paying rent monthly. Others have taken on side hustles—real estate, content creation, freelance work—anything to make ends meet. Some are buying land on installment plans outside Lagos, hoping to escape the cycle altogether.
“I’ve become a jack of all trades,” Ibrahim says. “You can’t survive on one income anymore.”
Health complications on back of rent issues
In many Nigerian cities these days, many residents are down with stroke and high blood pressure occasioned by their inability to afford high rent and are subjected to constant harassment by their landlords.
A woman who identified herself simply as Madam Caroline said her high blood pressure started in year 2024 following the loss of their means of livelihood.
“Last year, my husband was retrenched and my petty trading no longer able to carry the financial burden of our family. My husband could not bear it and before we knew it, he was down with stroke. Within six months he died. Even before he died, we were owing the landlord. The man was good to us, but early this year, he increased the rent of every tenant; even though, he only increased ours very marginally, we are still owing him. I developed high blood pressure. My children are not working yet; they have graduated from school. The stress is too much,” she said.
Recently, the Delta State government announced its intention to better regulate real estate business in the state to check the growing rate of high blood pressure in connection with high rents.
An 80-year-old man recounted his ugly experience a few weeks ago. He had visited his son in Onitsha, Anambra State, and found out that the apartment he was occupying was not livable. An attempt to quickly look for a better accommodation took them across the Niger Bridge to Asaba.
“When I got there, I told him that he must live the apartment. But a two-bedroom flat in Onitsha was between N1.3m and N1.5million. It was slightly cheaper somewhere in Asaba, he had to find one and relocated with immediate effect. This rent issue is everywhere. Things are not looking up in the country. The government must wake up; the citizens are suffering so much,” he said.
A call for change
Asked what they would change if given the power, residents had no shortage of ideas. Hannah believes rent should be regulated and made affordable. Seun suggests government-subsidized building materials and more affordable housing schemes. Ibrahim wants something more visionary: “Let them build estates for the masses like they did train stations and airports. If you’re working, you should have a place to live without it costing your whole life.”
The bigger picture
The situation appears more critical in Lagos with the increasing population on a daily basis. Many lives have been disrupted and endangered because of accommodation issues in Lagos. Lagos’ housing crisis is more than an economic issue—it’s a quality-of-life emergency. Until both the public and private sectors step up with enforceable reforms, the average Lagosian will continue to choose between rent and regret.
