The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has endorsed the Renewed Hope National Homeownership and Housing Development Campaign, an initiative by the KnowThis Nigeria Network (KTNN) aimed at boosting citizens’ participation in housing reforms.

According to a statement by Badamasi S. Haiba, Director of Press and Public Relations, the endorsement followed a strategic meeting between officials of the Ministry and the KTNN team led by its Project Director, Robert Ahen Chenge. The meeting focused on collaboration for the nationwide campaign.

KTNN, a civic organization promoting citizen engagement in national development, plans to organize six regional housing advisory sessions involving state governors, commissioners, housing corporations, legislators, and private sector stakeholders. The campaign seeks to enhance citizens’ access to affordable housing and awareness of federal housing opportunities.

Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, commended KTNN for translating government reforms into a people-centered initiative. He emphasized that many states and citizens are still unaware of available housing support programs and funding windows.

Dangiwa described the campaign’s objectives as aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes citizen awareness, stronger state-federal collaboration, and continuity in housing reforms. He added that the initiative complements existing programs such as the Renewed Hope Housing Programme, Social Housing Programme, and Land 4Growth Reforms.

The Minister also supported KTNN’s plan to establish State and National Housing Reform Offices to sustain reforms and institutionalize housing knowledge across administrations. However, he directed that the proposal be reviewed to align with the Ministry’s Reform Coordination and Service Improvement Department.

He further commended KTNN’s engagement with development partners like the World Bank, Shelter Afrique, IFC EDGE, and UN-Habitat, noting that such partnerships align with the Ministry’s blended-finance approach to affordable housing delivery.

A technical review team, including representatives from the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Family Homes Funds Limited (FHFL), Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), and the Reform Coordination Department, has been directed to work with KTNN on partnership modalities.

Dangiwa reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to collaboration and innovation, stating that the Renewed Hope vision belongs to every Nigerian ready to drive positive change through shared action.

KTNN’s project director, Robert Ahen Chenge, said the campaign would bridge knowledge gaps in the housing sector by organizing homeownership seminars across all states. It will also train Homeownership Specialists to guide citizens through the mortgage process and create digital tools to simplify housing information and access nationwide.

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In a decisive move to rein in the activities of property agents and curb arbitrary rent increases, the Abia State House of Assembly has advanced two landmark bills aimed at reforming the state’s housing sector.

The legislative action includes the first reading of a bill sponsored by Hon. Egwuronu Mandela Obasi (Ohafia North), and the second reading of another sponsored by Deputy Speaker Austin Okezie Meregini (Umuahia East). Both bills seek to introduce greater oversight and consumer protection for tenants across the state.

If passed into law, the proposed legislation will mandate compulsory registration of all property agents with the Ministry of Housing. It will also criminalize the widespread practice of collecting rent from multiple tenants for the same property.

A key provision of the bill pegs the maximum agent’s fee at 5% of the rent, while also capping rent advances at six months, a move designed to ease financial pressure on tenants. Landlords will be prohibited from demanding, and tenants from paying, more than six months’ rent upfront.

The legislation also aims to tackle exploitative practices in the rental market, including hidden or excessive charges. It provides a legal framework to challenge such actions, classifying them as violations once the bill is enacted.

To further streamline the process of property recovery, the bill mandates that tenants must present proof of rent and utility payments when initiating or responding to tenancy-related litigation. Importantly, it also shields tenants from eviction while contesting rent hikes in court.

In a related development, the House passed into second reading H.A.B. 34 of 2025, also sponsored by Deputy Speaker Meregini, which complements the earlier bill by specifically targeting arbitrary rent increases and reinforcing protections for both tenants and landlords.

Commenting on the twin legislative efforts, Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emereuwa, emphasized that the bills represent a proactive step towards bringing order, fairness, and accountability to the housing sector in Abia State.

“These bills are about doing the right thing, ensuring that both landlords and tenants are treated fairly, and that property transactions are conducted transparently,” he said.

The proposed reforms have been welcomed by housing advocates and tenant groups, who have long called for tighter regulation of the property market in the state.

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Property agents in Lagos who skirt tenancy rules could soon be staring at a maximum of two years behind bars, a ₦1 million fine or both if a new bill before the state’s House of Assembly becomes law.

The proposed legislation, officially titled A Bill for a Law to Regulate the Relationship Between Landlords and Tenants, Including the Procedure for the Recovery of Premises in Lagos State, and for Other Connected Matters, marks a sweeping bid to overhaul the state’s rental ecosystem.

If passed, the bill will sharpen oversight on the conduct of property agents, standardize rent collection practices, and set clear boundaries for tenancy agreements. It also aims to bring stricter order to the landlord–tenant dynamic, spelling out explicit procedures for rent payments and property recovery.

A key provision targets unregistered agents anyone operating without certification under the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority Law of 2021. Violations such as breaching commission caps, mishandling rent, or delaying remittances will constitute offences punishable under the proposed law.

Convicted offenders would not only face fines or imprisonment but would also be compelled to return every naira unlawfully collected. The message from the state is unmistakable: the era of loose regulation in Lagos real estate may be drawing to a close.

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