On a humid evening in Abeokuta, Mr. Samson Akinropo returned home expecting an ordinary day. Instead, he found a notice from his landlord informing him that his annual rent would increase from ₦700,000 to ₦1.5 million when his tenancy expired, the apartment had not been renovated, nor had any new facilities been added. Like thousands of tenants across Ogun State, he was left with a difficult choice “pay far more for the same home or move elsewhere.”
His experience reflects a growing housing challenge across Abeokuta, Sagamu, Ijebu-Ode and other fast-expanding communities where rising demand, limited housing supply and weak regulation have combined to push rental costs beyond the reach of many households.
For many tenants across Ogun State, stories like Akinropo’s have become increasingly common, in Abeokuta, Sagamu, Ijebu-Ode, and rapidly growing border communities attracting workers from Lagos, renters report steep rent increases, multiple agency charges, and limited protection against unfair practices.
An examination of Ogun’s housing sector shows that the problem extends beyond individual landlords, weak regulation of estate agents, poor enforcement of tenancy laws, and a growing housing shortage have combined to create a rental market where tenants often have little bargaining power. But while the challenges are significant, evidence from other jurisdictions suggests that solutions exist, housing experts argue that Ogun State’s rental crisis is not inevitable, rather, it is a policy challenge that can be addressed through reforms that have shown measurable results elsewhere.
A Market shaped by informal practices
One of the recurring complaints among tenants is the role played by largely unregulated estate agents.
In many communities, individuals can operate as agents without formal licensing, registration, or oversight, tenants interviewed reported paying multiple inspection fees for the same property, receiving no receipts for payments, and dealing with agents who had no formal contractual relationship with landlords,the result is a market where pricing decisions are often driven by informal actors rather than transparent standards.
“These agents are the ones advising landlords on rent levels,” said a housing researcher familiar with rental patterns in Ogun State. “Once one property is increased, others quickly follow.”
Housing analysts note that in poorly regulated markets, speculative pricing can spread rapidly, creating rental inflation even where housing quality remains unchanged.
What response has worked elsewhere?
Rather than attempting broad rent controls alone, housing policy experts point to a combination of targeted interventions that have produced better outcomes in other cities and regions, the first is the regulation of estate agents.
In jurisdictions where estate agents must be licensed, registered and held accountable to professional standards, complaints relating to fake listings, multiple inspection charges and undocumented transactions tend to decline significantly, licensing creates a record of practitioners, establishes disciplinary mechanisms and provides tenants with channels for redress.
According to housing governance experts, such systems reduce opportunities for exploitation because agents risk losing their registration if they violate established rules.
For Ogun State, this could involve creating a formal regulatory framework requiring all estate agents to register, obtain certification and comply with enforceable professional standards.
Reducing the burden of upfront rent
Another approach that has shown results elsewhere is limiting excessive advance rent demands, many Ogun tenants are required to pay one year’s rent upfront, along with agency fees, agreement fees and other charges that sometimes equal several additional months of rent, for lower-income households, these costs can be prohibitive.
Housing economists argue that rental systems that permit excessive advance payments often deepen inequality by excluding households that cannot raise large lump sums.
In contrast, jurisdictions that restrict advance rent requirements have reported improved affordability and greater access to housing,such measures do not eliminate rental costs, but they spread financial obligations more evenly and reduce the immediate burden on tenants,experts say any such policy in Ogun would need strong enforcement mechanisms to prevent landlords and agents from introducing informal charges that undermine the reform.
Can rent disputes be resolved faster?
A major challenge facing tenants is the difficulty of obtaining timely resolution when disputes arise, although tenancy laws exist, many renters lack the resources or time required to pursue legal action, housing disputes often move slowly through conventional courts, discouraging tenants from seeking remedies, several countries and subnational governments have addressed this challenge through specialised rent tribunals and mediation panels.
These bodies provide relatively quick and affordable dispute resolution services for tenants and landlords. In many cases, they can review complaints relating to rent increases, unlawful evictions and contractual disagreements without requiring lengthy court proceedings.
A Legal experts suggest that establishing rent mediation panels or tribunals at local government level could improve access to justice and increase confidence in Ogun’s tenancy framework.
Another response receiving increasing attention is the publication of rental market data, in many rental markets, tenants have little information about prevailing prices in their area, this information gap makes it difficult to determine whether a rent increase is justified or excessive.
Governments that publish regular rent benchmarks by neighbourhood and housing type provide tenants and landlords with a common reference point while such benchmarks do not set prices, they improve transparency and reduce opportunities for arbitrary increases. Housing researchers say public access to rental data can help moderate extreme pricing behaviour and improve market predictability.
The long-term solution; more affordable housing
While regulatory reforms can reduce abuses, housing experts consistently identify one factor as the most important long-term stabiliser of rental markets increasing housing supply.
Ogun State’s housing deficit remains substantial, rapid population growth, urbanisation and migration from Lagos continue to increase demand for housing faster than new units are being delivered, the shortage creates conditions in which landlords hold significant leverage and tenants compete for limited accommodation, evidence from multiple housing markets suggests that rents become more stable when governments expand affordable housing through public-private partnerships, housing cooperatives, targeted incentives for developers and direct public housing programmes.
Analysts note that Ogun State has made efforts to increase housing delivery, including the construction of thousands of housing units in recent years. However, demand continues to outpace supply, particularly for low- and middle-income households, without significant increases in affordable housing stock, experts warn that regulatory reforms alone may have limited impact.
The Limitations of reform
Housing specialists caution that no single intervention offers a complete solution, agent regulation can reduce misconduct, but it requires monitoring capacity and political commitment.
Rent restrictions can improve affordability, but weak enforcement may encourage informal charges.
Rent tribunals can speed up dispute resolution, yet they require adequate funding and public awareness to function effectively.
Similarly, expanding affordable housing takes time and substantial investment, new housing developments may take years to influence rental prices, particularly in high-demand urban centre, limitations like this underscore the need for coordinated rather than isolated reforms.
Lessons for Ogun State
The evidence suggests that Ogun’s rental crisis stems from three interconnected challenges, weak regulation of intermediaries, excessive financial burdens on tenants and a persistent shortage of affordable housing, addressing one challenge without tackling the others is unlikely to produce lasting change.
Housing economists argue that a balanced approach combining estate agent regulation, fair rent practices, accessible dispute resolution and expanded housing supply offers the strongest pathway toward a more stable rental market.
Importantly, such reforms are not designed to disadvantage landlords, predictable regulations, transparent transactions and stable tenancies can also reduce disputes, minimise vacancies and improve investment confidence.
For tenants like Samson Akinropo, the goal is not free housing but a system that is fair, transparent and predictable.
“People are not asking for free houses,” he said. “They just want fairness.”
That demand reflects a broader reality, Ogun’s rental crisis is not simply a consequence of economic pressures it is also the product of policy choices and institutional gaps, evidence from other jurisdictions shows that these gaps can be addressed, the question is whether the state can translate those lessons into practical reforms that protect both tenants and landlords while creating a more sustainable housing market for the future.
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