A growing number of residents in Osogbo have expressed frustration over what they describe as unjustifiable and sudden increases in house rent, pleading with the state government to step in before the situation worsens.
From low-income earners to middle-class families, tenants across various parts of the city are grappling with steep rent hikes. Many say the increases are not reflective of improvements in housing quality or infrastructure, raising concerns about affordability in a state primarily populated by civil servants.
Mr. Emmanuel Ayanda, a tenant in the heart of Osogbo, shared his ordeal after receiving a rent increment notice that nearly doubled his payment.
“I was paying N180,000 annually for a three-bedroom flat, then suddenly I was told it’s now N400,000,” he recounted. “The apartment is old, poorly maintained, and has none of the modern fittings you’d expect for such a price. I couldn’t keep up, so I had to move out.”
In Ogoluwa area, Miss Feyisayo Akomolafe said her rent was raised from N450,000 to N600,000 in the space of a year for a two-bedroom apartment. She worries that without government regulation, many residents may soon be pushed into homelessness.
“This is not Lagos or Abuja. Osun is a civil service state. Most people earn modest salaries. How are they expected to cope with these rates?” she asked.
In Ofatedo, another part of Osogbo, Mr. Jeremiah Obeh and Miss Glory Adeola echoed similar sentiments. Obeh’s annual rent on a three-bedroom flat jumped from N900,000 to N1.1 million, while Adeola said her self-contained unit went from N250,000 to N320,000 without any form of renovation or upgrade.
“The landlords are not even improving the conditions of these buildings,” Adeola said. “They just keep raising rent year after year, as they please.”
Some landlords, however, argue that rising inflation and increased construction costs are to blame.
Mr. Peter Osinubi, who owns several residential properties, said the economic climate has made it difficult to maintain buildings without adjusting rents. “Even cement and labour are expensive now,” he noted.
Still, others admit that not all rent hikes are justifiable. Mr. Abiodun Olowoporoku, who heads the Association of Real Estate Managers in Osun, said some landlords are simply driven by profit.
“We’ve tried talking to some landlords to keep rates reasonable, but many prefer to work with agents who will follow their demands without question,” he said.
There may be some relief on the horizon. The Osun State House of Assembly recently passed the Estate Agency Regulatory Authority Bill, 2024, aimed at putting checks on rent-related activities in the state.
Majority Leader of the Assembly, Mr. Kofoworola Adewunmi, who sponsored the bill, confirmed it has passed the third reading and now awaits the governor’s signature.
“Once it becomes law, it will help curb exploitation by both landlords and estate agents. Only licensed agents will be allowed to operate, and there will be caps on fees and charges,” Adewunmi explained.
Until then, tenants like Ayanda and Akomolafe continue to hope for swift action before more Osun residents are priced out of their homes.
