Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have welcomed a bill before the House of Representatives seeking to prohibit landlords from demanding more than one year’s rent in advance, describing it as a potential relief for tenants struggling with rising accommodation costs.
The Federal Capital Territory Advance Rent Regulation and Tenants’ Protection Bill, 2026 (HB 2839), sponsored by Paul Nnamchi and co-sponsored by Ahmed Doro, passed first reading in the House of Representatives on October 22.
The proposed legislation seeks to prohibit landlords, estate agents and property managers from demanding more than 12 months’ rent as a condition for granting or renewing a tenancy in the FCT.
The bill comes amid growing concerns over the cost of accommodation in the FCT, where tenants frequently face demands for one or two years’ rent upfront, placing considerable pressure on households already struggling with the cost of living.
The bill also seeks to prevent landlords and their agents from circumventing the proposed restriction through compulsory service charges, separate agreements, artificial tenancy renewals or other arrangements designed to compel tenants to pay more than the permitted advance rent.
A tenant in Kubwa, Mitchel Istifanus, described the proposal as a welcome development, saying many residents struggle to raise the money required to secure accommodation.
‘I think this is a very good development because many of us are struggling to pay rent in Abuja. Some landlords demand two years’ rent upfront, and not everybody can afford that amount at once,’ she said.
‘If the bill becomes law and is properly implemented, it will give tenants some relief and allow more people to afford accommodation.’
Similarly, Samuel Eze, another tenant in Kubwa, said paying two years’ rent upfront often forced tenants to exhaust their savings or borrow money, leaving them with little to meet other essential needs.
He said limiting advance payments to one year would help workers plan their finances better, but urged the government to ensure compliance if the bill becomes law.
In Gwarimpa, Sanusi Ridwan, a civil servant, said the proposed legislation was long overdue, recalling that the rent for his room-and-parlour apartment increased from N450,000 to N1.5 million within four years, while his salary remained unchanged.
‘Raising one year’s rent is hard enough. Two or three years is almost impossible for many of us,’ he said, adding that the proposed law could reduce the financial pressure on tenants.
Sarah Victor, a resident of Karsana, said she had been forced to leave two apartments within four years because she could not meet successive rent demands and agency fees.
She said the proposed legislation could provide tenants with some relief if landlords complied with its provisions.
Another tenant, Aisha Fatima, said the bill could help young workers and families plan their finances better, while Mohammed Abdullahi, a resident of Lugbe, said paying two years’ rent at once had forced him to take a loan.
However, Grace Danjuma expressed concern that some landlords might respond to the proposed restriction by increasing annual rents to compensate for the inability to collect payments covering multiple years.
She urged the government to complement the bill with measures to monitor arbitrary rent increases, warning that limiting advance payments would offer little relief if annual rents continued to rise unchecked.
Another resident, who expressed reservations about the proposal, said the government should consider landlords’ interests, particularly those who depend on rental income to maintain their properties, repay loans and meet other financial obligations.
‘If a landlord has a tenant who is willing and able to pay two years upfront, I don’t see why the government should stop them,’ he said.
Meanwhile, a tenant in Nyanya, Ene Paul, called for more flexible payment arrangements that would allow tenants to negotiate monthly, quarterly or six-monthly payments with landlords.
He said workers who depend on monthly salaries often struggle to raise a full year’s rent at once, especially amid competing financial obligations.
Some landlords also expressed reservations about the proposed regulation, citing rising construction costs, maintenance expenses and financial commitments.
A property owner in Gwarinpa, Mallam Ibrahim, said collecting rent for two years helped some landlords service loans and maintain their properties.
‘Construction costs have gone up. Many of us take loans to build. Collecting rent for two years helps us service those loans and maintain the houses. The law should also consider our side,’ he said.
Another landlord in Wuye, who requested anonymity, said voluntary longer-term payments should remain possible where both parties agreed without coercion.
The proposed bill allows tenants to offer more than 12 months’ rent voluntarily, provided the arrangement is initiated by the tenant, is not coerced and is documented in writing.
It also proposes the establishment of an FCT Rent Regulation and Tenants’ Protection Authority to monitor compliance, investigate complaints, resolve disputes and order refunds of unlawful payments.
The bill further proposes penalties for violations, including fines ranging from N500,000 to N5 million for individual landlords and N5 million to N20 million for corporate bodies.
Some residents, however, argued that regulating advance rent payments would not, by itself, make accommodation affordable.
One tenant said the government should prioritise the construction of affordable housing for workers, noting that high rent demands had forced some people working in Abuja to relocate to distant communities in neighbouring areas.
He argued that access to affordable housing and effective enforcement would be necessary to protect tenants from exploitation.
The proposed legislation comes amid growing concerns over housing affordability in Abuja, where tenants often face substantial upfront payments in addition to agency, agreement and other housing-related charges.
While supporters believe the bill could ease the financial burden of securing accommodation, the concerns raised by tenants and landlords highlight the need to balance tenant protection with property maintenance and investment.
However, some residents and landlords have called for broader housing reforms, warning that limiting advance rent payments alone may not address the underlying challenges of affordability, arbitrary rent increases and property maintenance.