HDAN Urges FG to Declare Housing Emergency as Rising Rents Push Nigerians to Brink

HDAN Executive Director, Festus Adebayo

HDAN Urges FG to Declare Housing Emergency as Rising Rents Push Nigerians to Brink

The Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has called on the Federal Government to immediately declare a state of emergency on housing, warning that rapidly rising rents across Nigeria are placing severe financial strain on citizens and widening social inequality. The group said the situation demands urgent national attention as accommodation becomes increasingly unaffordable for millions.

Across major urban centres such as Lagos and Abuja, rent increases ranging between 30 and 70 per cent have reportedly become common. This surge has forced many households to spend a significant portion of their income on housing, leaving little for other essential needs.

Housing Becoming Increasingly Inaccessible

HDAN Executive Director, Festus Adebayo, described the trend as more than routine market adjustment, stressing that it now reflects a full-blown crisis. According tos he explained, when citizens cannot afford decent shelter, the consequences extend beyond housing to affect health, productivity, security, and urban stability.

Factors Driving the Rent Surge

HDAN attributed the crisis to several structural challenges, including rapid urban migration, escalating construction costs, weak tenancy regulation, and a shortage of affordable housing. The growing conversion of residential buildings into short-let apartments has also reduced the availability of long-term rental options.

The group noted that Abuja alone reportedly receives hundreds of new residents daily, while housing supply has not kept pace with demand—creating intense pressure that continues to push rents upward.

Call for Immediate Government Intervention

To stabilise the housing market, HDAN urged the Federal Government to implement coordinated reforms, funding strategies, and regulatory measures without delay. The group emphasised that proactive intervention is necessary to prevent the crisis from deepening.

Suggested solutions include expanding affordable housing through public–private partnerships, strengthening rent regulations to curb arbitrary increases, improving access to mortgages and rent-to-own schemes, and supporting the development of satellite towns to reduce congestion in city centres.

Long-Standing Affordability Challenge

HDAN has repeatedly raised concerns about Nigeria’s housing affordability gap, previously advocating legislative action to address rising rents and excessive agency fees that disproportionately impact low- and middle-income earners.

Experts warn that failure to close supply gaps, address inflation-driven building costs, and strengthen oversight could lead to higher homelessness rates, longer commuting times, and a decline in overall quality of life. The group maintained that treating housing as a national emergency is essential to protecting livelihoods and ensuring sustainable urban growth.