By Jane Okeke
Human rights lawyer and activist, Comrade Deji Adeyanju, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on Nigeria’s housing sector, saying the country’s worsening rental crisis has become a national emergency requiring urgent government intervention.
In an open letter to the President, Adeyanju said millions of Nigerians, particularly in Abuja, Lagos and other major cities, are struggling to secure decent accommodation due to soaring rents, multiple-year advance payments and what he described as exploitative charges imposed by landlords and estate agents.
He argued that the trend undermines the constitutional responsibility of government to protect the welfare of citizens and provide access to adequate shelter. He also noted that Nigeria has an international obligation to safeguard the right to housing as a basic human right.
The activist warned that ongoing urban renewal projects must not force low and middle income earners out of cities, stressing that civil servants, artisans, young professionals and other workers should not become victims of rising housing costs.
Adeyanju urged the President to set up a Presidential Task Force on Rental Reform to develop a National Housing and Tenancy Policy within 90 days. He also proposed a legal cap on agency and legal fees, a limit on service charges, a one year ceiling on advance rent and the abolition of non refundable caution fees.
He further called for the establishment of a digital platform for tenants to report exploitative landlords and agents, backed by strict sanctions for offenders, while urging the Federal Government to expand affordable housing through Public-Private Partnerships and targeted investments.
Adeyanju said the housing crisis is fueling poverty and economic hardship for millions of families, insisting that affordable housing should not be treated as a privilege but as a constitutional right. He urged President Tinubu to take decisive action to protect tenants and restore confidence in Nigeria’s housing sector.
