The Lagos State Government has once again cautioned against the collection of tenancy agreement fees exceeding the legally mandated 10 percent and has urged residents to report any such instances to the authorities.
Speaking at the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, warned against violating the state’s tenancy law, which sets a 10 percent cap on tenancy agreement fees.
Odunuga-Bakare, in a statement released by the Lagos State Government, said, “We have been overwhelmed by reports of the activities of these unscrupulous elements making life hard for Lagosians with agreements and commissions that are like asking for an arm and a leg.”
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She called on the public to actively report such agents and landlords, stating, “We are calling on members of the public not to keep silent but to report such agents and landlords to us, for the government cannot be everywhere, every time.”
Odunuga-Bakare reiterated the Lagos State Government’s firm stance against excessive tenancy agreement fees, reminding all stakeholders that the maximum allowable fee remains 10% of the annual rent.
While acknowledging that Lagos’ growing population contributes to the housing challenges, the Special Adviser mentioned that the government and relevant stakeholders have been meeting to address the situation.
“We have met with associations of real estate agents, and they have assured us that the people who are engaging in such practices are not registered agents that identify with their associations,” Odunuga-Bakare said, suggesting that these illegal activities are often carried out by unregistered individuals who operate outside recognized professional bodies.
Earlier, the Lagos Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, had mentioned the state’s consideration of monthly and quarterly rent payment options to ease the burden on residents who struggle with annual payments. Akinderu-Fatai believes that these alternative payment schedules would provide much-needed relief to many Lagosians.
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