A new housing study is set to examine the real cost of living in Lagos by looking beyond rent to include transport, housing fees, infrastructure and access to investment opportunities.

GTI Investment Group will present the findings of its Beyond Rent research at the Lagos Housing and Capital Forum on August 20, 2026. The study examines how housing, transport, regulation and investment interact across the Lagos property market.

The research is aimed at renters, investors, developers and policymakers. It seeks to provide a broader view of the forces shaping housing costs and investment decisions in Nigeria’s commercial capital.

The True Cost of Renting

For many Lagos residents, the cost of housing does not end with monthly or annual rent.

According to the research, households may also face agency charges, caution fees and advance payments before moving into a property. Transport costs can add another major expense, especially for residents who live far from their workplaces.

GTI Research’s Effective Rent Burden Matrix brings housing and transport costs together to measure the wider cost of living in different parts of Lagos.

The approach could change how renters compare locations. A property with lower rent may not always be the cheaper option if residents spend significantly more on daily transport.

This is particularly relevant in a city where access to jobs, transport infrastructure and housing is closely connected. The research therefore places location at the centre of the housing affordability debate.

Infrastructure and Property Investment

The report also examines the changing ways Nigerians can invest in real estate.

According to the study, investors now have several options beyond buying a complete property or plot of land. These include different forms of fractional ownership and other investment structures.

GTI Research also links property investment to infrastructure development. It examines rail catchment yields, real estate investment trust performance and construction equity returns.

The research argues that investors should consider where infrastructure is expected to develop, rather than focusing only on areas where infrastructure has already arrived.

This could help investors assess emerging property corridors and compare current prices with future development potential.

Policy and Tenant Protection

The report also reviews the policy environment affecting Lagos renters and property owners.

It assesses the Lagos State Tenancy Law of 2011 and argues that some of its penalties became less effective because they were not updated over the years. It also examines the treatment of certain rental practices in high-rent areas.

The study considers the 2025 Tenancy and Recovery of Premises Bill as an improvement in areas such as coverage, fee limits and tenant protections.

However, it stresses that stronger laws must also have effective systems for enforcement. Without proper enforcement, legal protections may have limited impact on renters and landlords.

Closing Lagos’ Housing Finance Gap

Housing finance is another major area covered by the research.

GTI Research proposes four financing instruments that it says could mobilise as much as ₦3.85 trillion annually toward addressing Lagos’ housing capital gap.

The proposal reflects a wider challenge in the housing sector. Building more homes requires not only land and construction capacity but also access to long-term capital.

For developers, financial institutions and government, the availability of housing finance can influence the number of homes that can be delivered and the people who can afford them.

Housing as a Capital System

The central argument of the Beyond Rent research is that Lagos housing should not be viewed only as a question of supply.

Instead, the study presents housing as a system in which income, transport, infrastructure, regulation and financial markets affect where people live and how property value is created.

That approach brings renters, investors, developers and regulators into the same conversation. It also highlights the need for housing policy to consider both the cost of homes and the wider economic conditions surrounding them.

GTI Investment Group will present the full research findings at the Beyond Rent: A Lagos Housing and Capital Forum on August 20, 2026. The forum will bring together policymakers, investors, developers, financial institutions, academics and other industry stakeholders.

The wider significance of the research lies in its attempt to connect housing costs with transport, infrastructure, regulation and capital. For Lagos, where housing affordability remains closely tied to location and income, a broader understanding of these links could support better decisions by households, investors and policymakers.

The post Lagos Housing Costs Go Beyond Rent as GTI Unveils New Research appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

The Lagos State Government has unveiled plans to introduce a new tenancy law aimed at curbing arbitrary rent increases, illegal charges and exploitative practices in the real estate sector.

The State Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, disclosed this during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing held in Alausa, Ikeja.

According to the commissioner, the proposed legislation is currently before the Lagos State House of Assembly and seeks to address growing concerns over excessive rent hikes, arbitrary agency fees and fraudulent activities by unregistered estate agents.

Akinderu-Fatai explained that the bill is presently at the committee stage and is expected to introduce reforms capable of sanitising the housing and real estate sector in Lagos.

One of the major provisions of the proposed law would make registration with the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority mandatory for all estate agents operating within the state.

He noted that operating without LASRERA registration would become a punishable offence once the bill is passed into law.

The commissioner stated that the move was designed to tackle the activities of unregistered agents accused of exploiting tenants through excessive charges, fraudulent transactions and multiple sales of properties.

Akinderu-Fatai further revealed that the proposed law would introduce weekend and public holiday sittings for tenancy-related disputes in a bid to accelerate justice delivery.

He added that the law would apply across all parts of Lagos State without exemption.

Under the proposed framework, tenants seeking legal action against landlords would also be required to present evidence of rent payment and updated utility bills before initiating court proceedings.

The commissioner stressed that the Lagos State Government remains committed to restoring transparency, accountability and sanity within the real estate sector.

He disclosed that LASRERA intensified enforcement against fraudulent operators and recovered over N270 million from fake estate agents between 2025 and 2026.

Akinderu-Fatai also reiterated the state government’s position that estate agency fees should not exceed 10 per cent of the total rent payable by tenants.

According to him, the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is focused on making housing transactions more transparent, affordable and investor-friendly across Lagos State

The post Lagos Govt Proposes New Law to Control Rent and Estate Agency Fees appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

The Lagos State government has introduced several measures to protect renters, including the Tenancy Law of 2011, which limits agency and legal fees to 10% of annual rent. It also launched LagosHOMS for affordable housing and set up LASRERA to regulate agents and curb fraud.

Persistent Violations

Despite these efforts, many agents ignore the law, forcing tenants to pay almost double the rent. Analysts blame weak enforcement and a housing deficit that worsens affordability for residents.

Renters’ Ordeals

Chidi Samuel, a single mother in Egbe, paid ₦650,000 for a ₦350,000 apartment after agents added ₦300,000 in fees. Kingsley Chinwendu faced similar exploitation—asked to pay ₦750,000 extra for a ₦3.5 million flat.

If the law were followed, both would have paid far less. Yet, in Lagos’s unregulated rental market, tenants remain the biggest victims.

By: Chuka Uroko

The post Renters Groan as Lagos Agents Defy Tenancy Laws appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

The House of Representatives has moved to check arbitrary rent hikes across Nigeria, proposing that rent increases should not exceed 20% of the current rate, regardless of improvements or other factors.

This followed a motion by Hon. Bassey Akiba, representing Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency, on the need to regulate rent increases and protect tenants from exploitation.

The House urged the Federal Government to invest in affordable housing and expand access to low-cost homes to ease pressure on the rental market.

In a related development, lawmakers also passed a resolution directing the Inspector General of Police and the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to ensure all officers at checkpoints wear full uniforms and proper identification. They noted that operating in plain clothes compromises accountability and breaches standard security practices.

Meanwhile, in Lagos, the State House of Assembly had earlier called for the strict enforcement of the 2015 Tenancy Law to curb excessive rent increases. The lawmakers urged the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to implement the law fully and tasked the Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, with intensifying public awareness on tenants’ rights.

The motion, moved by Sa’ad Olumoh, cited Section 37 of the Tenancy Law, which prohibits unreasonable rent hikes and offers tenants legal protection against exploitation.

The post Reps Move to Cap Rent Increases at 20% Nationwide appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

The Lagos State House of Assembly has introduced a new tenancy bill aimed at curbing predatory practices by landlords and agents in the city’s residential and commercial property market.

Under the proposed law, landlords or agents are prohibited from demanding more than three months’ rent in advance from monthly occupants, or more than a year’s rent from annual tenants. Violators risk a ₦1 million fine, up to three months’ imprisonment, or both.

To reduce uncertainty for renters, the bill sets mandatory notice periods:

• Weekly tenants: 1 week

• Monthly tenants: 1 month

• Quarterly tenants: 3 months

• Yearly tenants: 6 months

It also fortifies transparency and accountability in property management. Landlords and agents must register with the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA), remit rent payments within seven working days, issue proper rent receipts, and cap their commission at 5% of annual rent. Failure to comply may result in up to two years’ jail time or a ₦1 million fine, or both.

Crucially, the law forbids disruptive behaviors such as cutting off utilities, removing roofs, or engaging in other forms of harassment. Landlords are now legally responsible for general maintenance and repairs to preserve tenants’ peaceful occupancy.

This sweeping reform seeks to modernize landlord-tenant dynamics in Lagos, promoting fairness, security, and legal clarity in an often-contentious housing market.

The post Lagos Tenancy Law Proposes ₦1M Fine or Jail for Uninsured Buildings appeared first on Housing TV Africa.