The Founder of Fair Housing, Ayo Adio, has intensified calls for immediate reforms to address the escalating rent crisis in Lagos, warning that the situation has become unbearable for many working residents.
Adio made this known during an appearance on Sunrise Daily, a breakfast programme on Channels Television, where he outlined both immediate and long-term strategies to stabilise the housing sector.
He said Lagos is clearly facing a serious rent crisis, stressing that the situation reflects a deeper systemic problem.
“There is no doubt Lagos is in a rent crisis. When working people spend as much as 70 per cent of their income on rent and transportation, it shows that something is fundamentally wrong,” he stated.
To ease the pressure on tenants, Adio recommended several short-term measures. These include limiting agency and legal fees to a maximum of five per cent, ensuring rent increases are strictly tied to inflation data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, and making it compulsory for landlords to give at least 12 months’ notice before implementing rent hikes. He also called for proper regulation of short-term rental platforms like Airbnb, which he said contribute to rising housing costs.
However, Adio emphasised that these measures can only provide temporary relief. He explained that the long-term solution lies in significant government investment in affordable housing and the establishment of effective mortgage systems that allow working Nigerians to access housing loans with affordable repayment terms.
Adio also criticised the Lagos State Government for what he described as a lack of meaningful response to the housing crisis. In a previous interview on ARISE News, he expressed disappointment over the government’s silence on the matter.
“To be honest, there has been no response at all, and I consider it a betrayal of this generation, especially people in my age group,” he said.
He further argued that housing policy in Lagos has changed over the past two decades, shifting away from treating housing as a basic public necessity to viewing it mainly as a profit-driven commodity.
According to him, the current administration, which has governed the state for over two decades, has prioritised commercial interests over public housing needs.
Adio warned that the impact of rising rents is no longer limited to low-income earners, as middle-income workers are now increasingly struggling to afford decent accommodation.
He cautioned that if urgent and decisive action is not taken, the crisis could worsen inequality and make home ownership unattainable for a large number of residents, effectively locking an entire generation out of the housing market.
Adio Calls for Urgent Reforms Over Rising Rent Crisis in Lagos, Faults Government’s Response
