Anambra residents seek Soludo’s intervention over soaring rent

Anambra State residents are grappling with a severe housing affordability crisis, as rental prices for even modest accommodations have skyrocketed. A two-bedroom apartment, which once cost around N250,000 annually, now averages N1.5 million in major cities like Awka and Onitsha. This dramatic increase, even for older buildings, is squeezing households across the state.

“

A two-bedroom apartment appears to be expensive in the rental market because of the high demand.

The surge in rents is not confined to highbrow areas. Urban centers, semi-urban areas, and even urban-slum areas are experiencing similar escalations. For instance, a newly completed two-bedroom flat in Awka and Onitsha, which was about N500,000 in 2024, now commands an average of N1.5 million. Older properties have also seen their rents jump from N250,000 to over N850,000 annually.

“

The annual rent of two-bedroom newly-built houses averagely ranges from N1.5 million depending on the location as of March 2026; one could get a decent one for N500,000.

House agents attribute the high demand for two-bedroom apartments to their suitability for families, young professionals, and middle-income earners. However, landlords are reportedly introducing additional charges, including "ego oji" (a term for a gift or token of appreciation, often a monetary one) and various fees through lawyers and agents. These new charges, previously unheard of, are further burdening tenants. Many residents are being forced to relocate to cheaper housing in rural areas, while others struggle to meet the new rental demands.

“

In 2022, two-bedroom flats cost between N300,000 and N500,000 depending if it’s old or new structure. I rented mine for N350,000. Today, average rents are N800,000 to N1.5m. Landlords are even introducing service charges and what they called, “ego oji”, with their lawyers and agents also introducing their own charges.