The alarming increase in residential rents across Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has become a growing source of concern, placing an enormous financial burden on tenants and threatening the ability of ordinary residents to afford decent accommodation.
Across the city, tenants are reportedly confronted with sharp increases in rental charges, with some landlords raising annual rents by more than 100 per cent, despite making little or no corresponding improvements to their properties.
A two-bedroom apartment previously rented for N500,000 now attracting annual rents of around N2 million, while properties formerly leased for N750,000 are being offered at about N2.5 million, illustrate the growing pressure in the housing market. In some newly constructed apartment buildings, the annual rent for a two-bedroom flat is reportedly as high as N3.5 million.
These figures raise an important question: how can the average civil servant, private-sector worker, small business owner or low-income household cope with such escalating accommodation costs?
Housing is a fundamental human need, and access to decent and affordable accommodation should not become a luxury reserved for only a privileged few. Yet, the prevailing situation suggests that many residents of Port Harcourt are finding it increasingly difficult to secure and maintain suitable accommodation.
More disturbing is the reported practice of increasing rents without undertaking meaningful renovations, repairs or maintenance. Some properties, despite being 15 to 20 years old, reportedly retain deteriorating doors, outdated facilities, worn-out fittings and other structural deficiencies, while tenants are expected to pay substantially higher rents. Such practices raise legitimate concerns about fairness, accountability and responsible property management.
While landlords have legitimate interests in protecting their investments and recovering maintenance costs, rental increases should be reasonable, transparent and considerate of prevailing economic realities. Property ownership should not become an excuse for arbitrary decisions that expose tenants to unnecessary hardship.
The situation is particularly troubling at a time when Nigerians are already contending with rising food prices, transportation costs, school fees, electricity tariffs and other essential expenses. Adding excessive accommodation costs to these financial pressures could further weaken household incomes and deepen the economic difficulties facing families.
Against this backdrop, the Rivers State Government must pay urgent attention to developments in the state’s rental housing sector.
Relevant government agencies should examine existing tenancy laws and ensure their effective enforcement. There is also a need for stronger mechanisms to protect tenants against arbitrary rent increases, particularly where valid tenancy agreements are still in force.
Government should consider engaging landlords, estate agents, property developers, tenants’ associations and other stakeholders to develop practical measures that promote fairness and stability in the rental market.
Such interventions should not be designed to punish property owners or discourage private investment in housing. Rather, they should establish a reasonable balance between the rights of landlords and the welfare of tenants.
Furthermore, the state should explore policies that encourage the construction of affordable housing units, particularly for low- and middle-income earners. Expanding the supply of decent and reasonably priced accommodation remains one of the most sustainable ways to address the growing housing challenge.
Therefore, the government cannot afford to treat the rising cost of accommodation as an insignificant private matter. When a growing number of residents struggle to afford a place to live, the issue becomes a wider social and economic concern requiring public attention.
The Rivers State Government must therefore act before the situation deteriorates further. Affordable housing, effective tenancy regulation and responsible property management should form part of the state’s broader development priorities.
