In response to the escalating housing crisis in Lagos State, the Lagos State House of Assembly has called for the full enforcement of the 2015 Tenancy Law to protect residents from arbitrary rent hikes and illegal evictions.
EpeInsights reports that this intervention comes amid rising inflation and a housing deficit that continue to squeeze Lagos residents, especially those in low- and middle-income brackets.
The lawmakers urged the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to ensure strict implementation of the law, particularly Section 37, which prohibits unreasonable rent increases and provides tenants with legal protection.
They also charged the Commissioner for Information and Strategy to launch a wide-reaching public awareness campaign to educate Lagosians on their rights under the tenancy law.
The resolution followed a motion raised by Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh (Ajeromi-Ifelodun 1), who decried the rising cost of housing in the state. He warned that unchecked rent hikes are pushing more residents into homelessness and deepening inequality.
“The continued surge in rent prices is unsustainable. The law must be enforced to safeguard tenants from exploitation,” Olumoh stated.
Backing the motion, Hon. Desmond Elliot (Surulere 1) highlighted that some rents in his constituency have surged by over 100 to 200 percent, largely driven by recent infrastructural developments.
While acknowledging the benefits of urban upgrades, he emphasized that they must not become excuses for exploitative rent practices.
He also called for a review of the provision that permits landlords to demand two years’ rent upfront, along with commissions and legal fees.
Hon. Aro Moshood (Oshodi-Isolo II) condemned the behavior of landlords who impose sudden rent hikes without proper notice or regard for tenants’ income levels, often resulting in illegal evictions.
“Many minimum-wage earners can’t even afford a single room in Lagos anymore,” he lamented.
Hon. Shabi Adebola added that the long-term solution lies in increasing the supply of low-cost housing across the state. He urged the government to scale up social housing schemes to meet the growing demand.
Presiding over the session, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa acknowledged the urgency of the matter and noted that rent hikes were being compounded by soaring costs of building materials.
He proposed a stakeholder dialogue with real estate developers to find a fair and sustainable path forward.
The Speaker instructed the Acting Clerk, Mr. Abubakar Ottun, to forward the Assembly’s resolutions to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for executive action.
