By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
The Kogi State House of Assembly has begun fresh efforts to tackle escalating house rents and shield tenants from exploitation, as lawmakers consider a new tenancy law aimed at overhauling the state’s housing regulatory framework.
The proposed legislation, which underwent a public hearing in Lokoja on Tuesday, seeks to repeal the existing Rent Control and Recovery of Residential Premises Law, 2007, and replace it with the Kogi State Tenancy Law, 2027.
Sponsored by Hon. Lawal Akus (APC, Ankpa I), the bill comes amid mounting public concern over rising rents, excessive agency charges and arbitrary evictions, issues that have become more pronounced as residents contend with economic hardship.
Speaking at the hearing, Akus said the proposed law is designed to create a fair, transparent and balanced tenancy system by regulating tenancy agreements, curbing arbitrary rent increases, preventing unlawful evictions and introducing effective dispute resolution mechanisms.
He said the legislation would also promote accountability among landlords, tenants and property agents while fostering peaceful coexistence within the housing sector.
Akus assured stakeholders that all memoranda and recommendations submitted during the public hearing would be carefully considered, stressing that inclusive participation remains essential to effective lawmaking.
In a memorandum presented at the hearing, housing policy advocate Jibril Onoru-Oiza Abu described the bill as a timely intervention, arguing that property ownership should not become a tool for excessive profiteering.
He proposed limiting advance rent payments to one year, licensing and regulating property agents, capping legal fees at 10 per cent of annual rent, outlawing rental bidding, criminalising unlawful self-help evictions and making written tenancy agreements mandatory for long-term leases.
The State Ministry of Justice also backed the bill, with Acting Assistant Director of Legal Drafting, Olowolaiyemo Ehitayo, recommending that the definition of accommodation be expanded to expressly cover residential premises.
Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Taiye Abanika, said the proposed legislation aligns with the state government’s broader efforts to curb arbitrary rent increases and improve housing administration.
However, the Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN), Kogi State Chapter, urged caution over provisions it believes may conflict with the Constitution.
Represented by Chief Magistrate II, Ibrahim Denja Eleson, the association opposed clauses empowering a proposed Rent Control Task Force to seal properties without court orders and requiring aggrieved parties to exhaust administrative remedies before seeking judicial intervention, describing such provisions as unconstitutional.
Also making submissions, Chairman of the Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Kogi State Branch, John Eniwaiye, called for a balanced approach that protects tenants from exploitation without undermining the legitimate rights of property owners.
Stakeholders at the hearing agreed that while the bill would benefit from further refinement, its eventual passage could significantly improve landlord-tenant relations, reduce housing disputes and establish a more equitable tenancy regime across Kogi State.