Housing: Adeyanju writes Tinubu to declare state of emergency over high rentals

Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has urged Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the housing sector, citing unbearable rental costs that are causing widespread frustration. In an open letter dated July 27, 2026, Adeyanju highlighted the severe impact of high rents on Nigerians' well-being.

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The current state of housing governance in Nigeria stands in stark contradiction to the supreme law of our land.

Adeyanju invoked Nigeria's 1999 Constitution, emphasizing that the government's primary purpose is the security and welfare of its people. He also referenced constitutional directives obligating the state to ensure suitable and adequate shelter for all citizens and prevent wealth concentration. The lawyer argued that when housing becomes a tool for extortion, the government fails in its fundamental duty.

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The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

Citing international human rights law, specifically Article 11(1) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Adeyanju stressed that Nigeria, as a signatory, recognizes the right to adequate housing. He echoed the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing's stance that housing should be treated as a social good, not a speculative asset.

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When shelter becomes an instrument of extortion, the government abdicates its primary purpose.

The lawyer described the rental market in Abuja and Lagos as chaotic, with landlords, speculators, and agents exploiting tenants. He detailed common predatory practices, including demands for two to three years' rent in advance, excessive agency fees (10-20%), unjustified legal fees (up to 15%), unregulated service charges, and arbitrary caution fees. These practices, he contends, exploit citizens and violate the principle of providing adequate housing.

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Housing must be treated as a social good, not a speculative financial asset.