The surge in rent prices has left many Nigerians struggling to afford shelter.
Some have been forced into makeshift accommodations, while others moved families to villages as gathered by Diaspora Digital Media (DDM).
Landlords continue to increase rents, sometimes by more than 100 per cent within a year.
The situation worsened after government policies reduced citizens’ purchasing power, deepening the housing crisis.
Living in a comfortable home has now become an unattainable dream for many Nigerians.
Rent increases now occur almost every year, compelling tenants to abandon apartments for cheaper options.
Even tenants in single-room apartments often struggle to meet new payment demands.
Some tenants have turned to renting shops as apartments to cut costs.
Others send their families to villages while they manage uncomfortable shop accommodations in town.
Mechanic, Mr. Jude Boma, narrated how his rent was increased by 300 per cent.
“My landlord raised my room and parlour rent to N150,000,” Boma explained.
“As a vulcanizer, where do I get that amount from?” he asked.
His wife suggested moving temporarily into a church so she could keep working.
Boma rejected the idea and instead sent his family to the village.
He rented a shop space, which he now shares with friends, to survive.
“It is not easy, but I believe good things can still happen,” he said.
Miss Osasowie George, a sachet water seller, faced similar hardship with rent hikes.
She once paid N30,000 yearly but her landlord’s son increased it to N80,000.
“We begged him to reconsider but he refused,” George recounted.
She eventually rented a shop attached to a building for N20,000 yearly.
“No one wanted the shop for business, so he gave it out as housing,” she explained.
George criticized arbitrary increases in rent that ignored tenants’ financial struggles.
“If it worsens, I will relocate permanently to the village,” she warned.
Caretaker and apartment agent, Mr. Idris Moshood, explained why landlords rent out shops.
“Many shops are vacant because they are not suitable for business,” he said.
“To make them useful, landlords now rent them out as accommodation,” he added.
Artisans, bus conductors, and load carriers now sleep in these converted shop spaces.
“Two or three people often contribute to pay rent for one shop,” Moshood explained.
Despite efforts by some states to ease the rent burden, challenges persist nationwide.
Many Nigerians face possible eviction because they cannot meet constant rent increases.
Experts say the problem reflects poor regulation in the housing and rental market.
Housing remains a fundamental need, but Nigerians face increasing barriers to affordability.
The dream of living in a decent house grows more distant for many.
Survival strategies like renting shops or moving to villages are becoming common.
Tenants continue to hope for government reforms to protect them from homelessness.
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