Obafemi Hamzat, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, has committed to enforcing the state’s one-year rent regulation while partnering with property developers to broaden access to affordable housing.
Hamzat said the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority law, passed last year, provides for tenants to pay one year’s rent rather than being required to make advance payments covering two or three years.
He made the pledge during the Lagos governorship debate on Sunday, while responding to a question on whether residents should have to work mainly to meet their rent obligations.
“The next chapter for Lagos is to enforce to make sure people should not be asked two years, three years ahead because nobody gets salary three years ahead,” he said.
Hamzat urged residents to use the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority’s online platform to report rental disputes and ensure that estate agents are registered.
He said feedback from residents would help the government monitor compliance and address abuses in the property market.
The APC candidate also promised to complete ongoing housing projects and reduce the time required to obtain property regularisation and title documents.
He said the state had completed the automation of the process to enable residents handle applications online, arguing that delays in obtaining title documents add to the cost of housing.
Hamzat said his administration would also work with private developers to ensure that housing projects were provided across different income categories and not concentrated in affluent areas.
He cited discussions with developers on the possibility of building homes in less affluent communities alongside projects in high-value locations such as Ikoyi and Victoria Island.
“We are building for the rich, we’re also building for the poor,” he said.
Hamzat said his manifesto placed emphasis on what he called “everyday dignity”, arguing that rent should not be so burdensome that it undermines residents’ dignity.
He added that government would work with landlords to address the challenges, while recognising that Lagos operates a capitalist economy.
What You Should Know
Lagos State’s All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, has reiterated his commitment to tackling the state’s housing crisis by strictly enforcing the one-year rent policy established under the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority law. The move aims to relieve tenants from the heavy burden of paying two to three years of rent upfront, aligning payment terms with standard monthly salary structures. Additionally, the administration plans to collaborate with private developers to build housing projects across diverse income brackets and streamline the issuance of property title documents online to reduce overall housing costs.
- Positive Impact: Tenants will enjoy major financial relief by only having to pay one year’s rent at a time, and streamlined online property registration will make it faster and cheaper to secure housing titles.
- Potential Concerns: Enforcing compliance among private landlords and developers in a largely capitalist economy may face practical pushback without strict monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.
