Lagos to Enforce One-Year Rent Payment Rule, Warns Landlords Against Demanding 2–3 Years in Advance

• Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat says the state government plans to enforce the one-year rent payment rule, warning landlords against demanding two or three years’ rent in advance from tenants.

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, has said the state government plans to enforce the one-year rent payment provision in its real estate regulations to stop landlords from demanding two or three years’ rent in advance from tenants.

Hamzat, who is also the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, said the government’s next priority was to ensure compliance with the provision, which he said was contained in the Lagos State Real Estate Registration Agency law.

He made this known on Sunday during a governorship debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium in Lagos.

The debate was organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium, a coalition comprising The PUNCH, Channels Television, TVC News, TheCable and Vanguard.

Speaking during the debate, Hamzat said the government would focus on enforcing the provision, arguing that tenants should not be expected to pay several years’ rent in advance when most workers do not receive their salaries years ahead.

“So the next chapter for Lagos is to enforce, to make sure. So people should not be asked 2 years, 3 years ahead because nobody gets salary three years ahead,” he said.

The governorship hopeful also disclosed that the law requires real estate agents to register with the state and be included in an official database.

He urged residents to use the Lagos State Real Estate Registration Agency’s online platform to report complaints and help the government monitor activities in the real estate sector.

“So our appeal to the citizens is in terms of communication, to make sure that people use that site, because that is the only way we can track. Because this— when these things happen, government must also have the feedback,” he said.

On efforts to improve access to affordable housing, Hamzat said the government would complete ongoing housing projects and work towards reducing the time required to obtain property regularisation and title documents.

He explained that delays in processing land documents could increase housing costs, adding that the state had completed the automation of the process to enable residents to submit applications online.

Hamzat also called for greater collaboration with private developers to ensure that housing projects were not concentrated in high-income neighbourhoods.

According to him, developers undertaking projects in affluent areas such as Ikoyi and Victoria Island should also consider investing in less affluent communities.

“As you develop a property, say in Ikoyi or VI, can you develop another one in Egodo? So those are part of the discussions that we will have so that as we are building for the rich, we’re also building for the poor, apart from what the government is doing to make sure that people actually have housing,” he said.

Referring to his manifesto, Hamzat said its “Everyday Dignity” component was designed to ensure that residents were not burdened by rent payments to the extent that their dignity was undermined.

“If you look at my manifesto, the E part is everyday dignity. What it says is people should not pay rent that demystifies their dignity. And what that means is we must work with landlords. We understand that we run a capitalist economy,” he said.

The issue of advance rent payments has remained a major concern for tenants in Lagos, where landlords and agents have been reported to demand multiple years’ rent upfront despite existing legal restrictions.

Section 4 of the Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011 makes it unlawful for landlords or their agents to demand more than one year’s rent in advance from a new tenant. It also places limits on advance payments by existing tenants, depending on the type of tenancy.

The Lagos State Government has also been considering reforms to its tenancy framework to address concerns surrounding rent increases, agency practices and disputes between landlords and tenants.

However, the status and commencement of any proposed 2025 amendments should be distinguished from the existing provisions of the Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011.