The Cross River State House of Assembly has taken decisive steps to address the sharp rise in accommodation costs across the state, blaming the trend on what lawmakers described as exploitative practices by housing agents and landlords.
The move followed a motion of urgent public importance moved on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, by Rt. Hon. Dr. Davies Etta, representing Abi Constituency.
The motion, titled “Unreasonable Hike in House Rents in Calabar Metropolis,” highlighted the manipulation of rent prices by agents in key areas of Calabar.
Leading the debate, Etta lamented that housing agents now dictate rent rates across several parts of the city, forcing tenants to pay far beyond property value.
He noted that self-contained apartments on Marian Road now cost up to ₦1.5 million yearly, while one-bedroom flats in Calabar South go for ₦800,000 to ₦1 million.
In highbrow areas such as Parliamentary Extension, State Housing, and CICC, rents for one- and two-bedroom apartments reportedly exceed ₦2 million.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, supported the motion and announced plans by the Assembly to draft a bill aimed at regulating rent charges and standardising the operations of housing agents across the state.
Several lawmakers backed the motion, calling for stronger rent control mechanisms and temporary restrictions on agent activities pending new legislation.
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However, the Speaker assured that any proposed law would strike a balance between protecting tenants’ rights and safeguarding landlords’ interests.
Public frustration over escalating rents has grown in recent weeks, with Calabar residents protesting and urging government intervention. Although rumours of a complete ban on housing agents have circulated, no such action has been taken.
The Assembly’s resolution remains an early legislative measure toward developing a comprehensive tenancy regulation framework.
If passed, Cross River State would become one of the first in southern Nigeria to enact a law specifically targeting rent inflation and unregulated property brokerage, following similar initiatives currently underway in Ebonyi State.