Yemi Obafemi
The Lagos State Government has raised alarm over the exploitative practices of unregistered real estate agents and landlords, describing their demands for exorbitant fees and commissions as unbearable for residents.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, stated this during the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Ikeja,
She issued a warning against breaching the state’s tenancy law, which limits tenancy agreement charges to a maximum of 10 percent.
In a statement issued by Lagos State Government, Odunuga-Bakare urged Lagosians to report such actors, warning that the government will not tolerate actions that make housing more difficult for citizens.
She 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.
“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.”
She emphasized the Lagos State Government’s unwavering position against charging excessive tenancy agreement fees, reiterating that the legal limit is set at 10% of the annual rent.
While acknowledging that Lagos’s rising population plays a role in the ongoing housing challenges, the Special Adviser highlighted that the government has been working collaboratively with stakeholders to tackle the issue.
