Lagos rent trap: Governorship candidates reveal how they plan to stop landlords from “eating” salaries

• Lagos governorship candidates debated how to solve the state’s housing crisis, with many residents spending up to 70% of their income on rent.

• ADC’s Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour proposed stronger tenant protection laws, limits on rent increases and more government-backed housing supply.

• APC’s Obafemi Hamzat said the state would focus on enforcing existing rental laws, expanding housing projects and improving property processes.

• NDC’s Funsho Doherty and PDP’s Adedeji Doherty argued that government must take a bigger role in building affordable homes instead of leaving housing mainly to private developers.

For many Lagos residents, payday does not always mean enjoyment. Sometimes, it simply means another reminder that a huge chunk of their income is already waiting for their landlord.

With rent prices rising across Lagos, many residents now spend between 60% and 70% of their annual income on housing, far above the generally recommended 30% benchmark.

This growing frustration became a major talking point during the Lagos 2027 Governorship Debate, where candidates were asked what they would do differently to reduce the pressure on tenants and make housing more affordable.

The debate, organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium on November 8, 2026, brought together candidates including Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Obafemi Hamzat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Funsho Doherty of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and Adedeji Doherty of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The candidates discussed issues affecting Lagos residents, including transportation, flooding, healthcare, security, education and the economy, but in this article, we will discuss housing.

A major question raised during the debate was why a young Lagos professional earning ₦150,000 monthly could be paying as much as ₦1.5 million yearly in rent, excluding agency fees, legal charges and other additional costs.

The moderator asked what the candidates would do about landlords increasing rent arbitrarily and tenants being forced to pay huge upfront costs.

ADC candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour said Lagos needs stronger laws to protect renters from sudden rent increases.

He proposed that landlords should give tenants at least six months’ notice before increasing rent and that there should be guidelines around how much rent can increase within a period.

“There must be legislation that ensures that tenants are protected from arbitrary rent increases, at least giving six months notice before that happens, with the guidance of a percentage by which it can be increased by. So we’re talking between 20 to 30 percent,” he said.

Rhodes-Vivour also criticised the high cost of agency and legal fees, describing some practices as unfair to tenants.

“For instance, you can look at an apartment in a mode where one self-contained apartment might cost ₦500,000. Agency fees and legal fees come up to another ₦500,000. That is criminal,” he said.

He added that his administration would create a system where tenants can report exploitative practices and the government can take action.

Beyond regulating rent, he said Lagos must increase its housing supply by completing abandoned buildings and partnering with property owners to create temporary government-backed housing options.

According to him, increasing available housing units would eventually reduce prices because more supply would mean less pressure on demand.

READ ALSO: “Live with your parents or cousins” — Lagos Deputy Governor Hamzat advises young Lagosians, says spending 40% of income on rent is too high

APC candidate and current Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat said the state has already introduced laws aimed at addressing some rental problems.

He pointed to the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) law, which regulates real estate practitioners and limits certain rental practices.

“There is a Lagos State Real Estate Registration Agency law that was passed just last year. What it says is that you should pay one year rent,” Hamzat said.

He added that tenants should not be forced to pay two or three years’ rent upfront because most workers do not earn salaries several years ahead.

“People should not be asked two years, three years ahead because nobody gets salary three years ahead,” he said.

Hamzat also encouraged residents to report problems through official channels so the government can track and respond to complaints.

He said Lagos would continue completing ongoing housing projects, reducing delays in obtaining property approvals and working with developers to increase housing availability.

“If you look at my manifesto, the “e” is everyday dignity. What it says is people should not pay rent that demystifies their dignity,” he said.

NDC candidate Funsho Doherty argued that Lagos’ housing crisis exists because the government has not done enough to provide affordable homes.

He said the private sector alone cannot solve the housing shortage, especially for low and middle-income residents.

“The larger solution to the problem is actually around the supply of housing. The problem that exists today was not in one year. It is because housing supply has not kept up with growth in demand,” Doherty said.

He added that the government should take the lead in developing affordable housing because private developers are mainly focused on profitable segments of the market.

“Affordable, low to medium income social housing, that is an area anywhere in the world where the government has to be the primary driver,” he said.

Doherty also promised to establish an ombudsman office to address what he described as “racketeering” involving agents and additional rental charges.

PDP candidate Adedeji Doherty said the solution is for Lagos government to directly provide housing options that compete with private landlords.

He argued that controlling landlords through regulations alone may not work.

“There is no landlord and there is no government that can control a landlord. There is none,” he said.

Instead, he said the government should build and rent out houses directly to residents.

“What we’re going to do is very simple. We are going to rent those houses ourselves and then you come and rent from us if you want to,” he said.

Doherty also highlighted the reality facing many low-income workers who cannot afford expensive neighbourhoods in Lagos.

“If we want to lie, if we just want to play politics, then let us play. But this is my own position,” he added.

READ ALSO: Imagine if you could pay your house rent monthly; it’s now possible in Abuja

As the 2027 Lagos governorship election approaches, housing is expected to remain one of the biggest issues for voters.

From young professionals struggling with rent renewals to families moving farther away from the city because of rising costs, the question many Lagosians want answered is simple: how will the next government make it possible for ordinary workers to afford a decent place to live?

The candidates have presented different approaches — stronger tenant protection, better enforcement of existing laws, more government housing projects and direct government involvement in the housing market.

For Lagos residents, the real test will be whether these promises can move from debate stages into affordable homes and lower rent bills.