Abia Assembly passes bill to regulate tenancy, cap agent commission at 5%, as S4C urges Lagos to take a cue
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Spaces for Change (S4C) has commended the Abia State House of Assembly for passing the Abia State Property and Tenancy Regulatory Authority Bill 2026, a law designed to address exploitative rent practices and unlicensed agency activities in the state’s housing sector.
The bill, which awaits assent from Governor Alex Otti, establishes the Abia State Property and Tenancy Regulatory Authority and caps chargeable agent commission at five per cent, down from the current rate of as high as 20 per cent of annual rent.
S4C, a civil society organisation, says the law will help sanitise the housing sector once signed. “The new law establishes the Abia State Property and Tenancy Regulatory Authority and addresses the excessive and exploitative rents charged by landlords and housing agents in the state,” the organisation states.
According to S4C, the legislation also protects landlords by establishing clear processes for addressing tenancy breaches or conduct that undermines a property’s orderly occupation.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, on Saturday, S4C describes the Assembly’s action as “highly commendable,” noting that it shows how political will can translate public aspirations into governance.
The organisation links the housing crisis in major Nigerian cities, including Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, to exorbitant rent hikes that have pushed decent housing out of reach for many residents. It says this has fuelled the rise of slums, illegal construction on waterways, and the occupation of public spaces such as under-bridges and road medians, often culminating in government demolitions and forced evictions with climate and social consequences.
S4C urges Governor Otti to assent to the bill “without delay” so it can take effect across the state.
The organisation also calls on other state governments particularly Lagos State to advance similar reforms, noting that Lagos’s own tenancy reform process remains stalled.
