Lagos Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, has pledged stricter enforcement of tenancy regulations to curb landlords’ demands for multiple years’ rent in advance.
He made the commitment on Sunday, November 8, 2026, during a governorship debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium, where candidates addressed housing affordability and other development challenges in the state.
Hamzat said the government would prioritise compliance with the statutory one-year advance rent limit, urging residents to report landlords who violate the regulation through designated state channels.
He also advocated tighter oversight of real estate practitioners, advising residents to verify estate agents’ registration status before engaging their services.
On housing development, the deputy governor promised to complete ongoing public housing projects, expand mortgage opportunities and encourage private developers to invest beyond affluent districts such as Ikoyi and Victoria Island.
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He argued that expanding housing supply across different income groups was essential to addressing the state’s accommodation challenges.
His pledge comes amid persistent complaints over rising rents and landlords’ demands for several years’ payment upfront, despite existing legal restrictions.
Section 4 of the Lagos State Tenancy Law, 2011, prohibits landlords and their agents from demanding or receiving more than one year’s rent in advance from prospective tenants. It also regulates advance payments by existing tenants according to their tenancy arrangements.
The law provides for a fine of ₦100,000 or three months’ imprisonment upon conviction for violations. However, certain areas of the state are exempt from its provisions.
Hamzat is seeking to succeed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the February 6, 2027, governorship election.