The burden of housing in Nigeria has become heavier with each passing year. Across major cities and satellite towns such as Karu, Lugbe, Kubwa, and Keffi, tenants are feeling the pressure of rent hikes that have outpaced incomes, eroding living standards and deepening poverty.
Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics reveal that the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuel index rose by 27.64 percent between March 2023 and March 2024.
This spike directly translated into higher rents and household bills. The same data also showed that food and non-alcoholic beverages accounted for the largest share of inflationary pressure, but housing expenses remain a top driver of hardship for households.
Between 2023 and 2025, rents have climbed steeply in virtually every urban and semi-urban center. In 2023, accommodation costs rose by about 30 to 40 percent in major cities, driven by high inflation and the rising cost of cement, steel, and other building materials.
By 2024, some tenants were already paying 50 to 100 percent more than the previous year. In 2025, rent increases of 40 to 60 percent have become common in satellite towns, including Keffi, leaving many households unable to cope.
In Keffi, a town that hosts thousands of workers commuting daily to Abuja and students of Nasarawa State University, tenants say survival has become a daily struggle. Ibrahim, a private school teacher earning about 75,000 naira monthly, explained that his two-bedroom apartment rose from 250,000 naira per year in 2023 to 400,000 naira in 2025.
“I had to move my family to a smaller unit because my salary cannot cover the new rent alongside food and transport. It has become almost impossible to balance everything,” he said.
Another respondent, Halima, a petty trader in Keffi, shared a similar experience. “We now live with another family just to share costs.
My rent went from 180,000 naira to 300,000 naira in two years. We cannot afford food and school fees after paying the landlord,” she lamented.
The housing deficit in Nigeria, estimated at over 20 million units, remains a major structural problem. With urban migration swelling the populations of towns like Keffi, demand far outstrips supply, giving landlords the upper hand.
Many still demand one to two years’ rent in advance, a practice that worsens affordability pressures and leaves tenants at their mercy.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics further shows that general inflation has remained above 20 percent since mid-2023, with food inflation peaking above 40 percent in 2025. As a result, households are forced to dedicate over half of their monthly income to food, while rent consumes an additional 20 to 30 percent. This leaves little for healthcare, education, or savings.
The situation has forced families to adopt coping mechanisms such as relocating farther from city centers, sharing apartments, or cutting back on essentials. In Keffi, some tenants have been forced to move into overcrowded compounds, while others endure longer commutes to work or school in search of cheaper accommodation.
Experts argue that without urgent intervention the housing challenge could worsen as Nigeria’s population continues to grow rapidly. Policy solutions are available but require strong political will. One option is the development of mass housing schemes that prioritize affordability for low- and middle-income households.
Another is the introduction of rent-to-own arrangements where tenants can gradually acquire ownership of their homes. Expanding access to affordable mortgage financing would also help, as high interest rates currently make home ownership almost impossible for average Nigerians.
Equally important is the enforcement of tenancy laws to regulate the practice of landlords demanding one or two years’ rent in advance. This single measure would ease the immediate burden on tenants, many of whom struggle to raise lump-sum payments from stagnant wages. Public-private partnerships in the housing sector could also boost supply, while targeted subsidies for vulnerable groups may help cushion the impact of rising costs.
For now, tenants like Ibrahim and Halima are left to navigate an unforgiving market where rent keeps rising, but wages remain stagnant.
Without meaningful reforms, the dream of affordable housing in Nigeria may remain out of reach for millions, turning shelter from a basic need into a privilege for only a few.
