Jos housing crisis deepens — What tenants are facing will shock you

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Jos residents express frustration as cut-throat rent worsens living conditions

Residents of Jos, the capital of Plateau State, have voiced growing frustration over the steep rise in house rents.

Concerned residents who spoke to Daily Post said accommodation costs in Jos have become unaffordable for average earners.

A resident, who identified himself simply as Jeff, recounted his experience after being transferred from Lagos to Jos to oversee a new branch of his company.

He explained that he initially felt excited about returning home, away from the fast-paced lifestyle of Lagos. Being originally from Plateau, he had planned to settle in Jos, having been informed that life in the Tin City was slower and more affordable, particularly in terms of housing, compared to Lagos, where tenants often struggle with high rents.

However, Jeff said he was shocked when he arrived in January and contacted an agent for a two-bedroom apartment in Rayfield, only to be quoted N2.5 million for one year’s rent.

According to him, the breakdown of the cost included agency fees, caution fees, legal charges, and other additional expenses he could not clearly understand.

He then explored another area outside the high-end neighbourhoods and eventually considered Rantya, but encountered a similar situation, as a two-bedroom apartment was priced at N2.1 million, just slightly lower, alongside the same extra charges.

Jeff’s experience reflects the broader challenge faced by many tenants and prospective renters, who say landlords and agents have made accommodation increasingly difficult to secure.

In areas regarded as upscale, such as Rayfield, Atiku Abubakar area, Gurantop, Millionaire Quarters, GRA, Federal Low-Cost, and State Low-Cost, securing accommodation often requires a six-figure income.

In some of these locations, a one-bedroom apartment ranges from N800,000 to N1.2 million per year, excluding additional charges.

Investigations further revealed that in these prime locations, two- and three-bedroom apartments are priced between N2 million and N5 million.

This significant increase in rent has left many residents struggling to cope with rising housing costs.

A cross-section of tenants, landlords, agents, and developers who spoke to Daily Post shared varying perspectives, with some attributing the trend to federal government economic policies.

Others pointed to the rising cost of building materials, while some linked it to the influx of internet fraudsters, popularly referred to as ‘Yahoo Boys,’ who are reportedly willing to pay high rents.

For Jude Daniyam, a resident of Federal Low-Cost, the increase is driven largely by exploitative landlords.

“I have been living in a two-bedroom apartment at Federal Low-Cost for two years now and my rent used to be N550,000. But when it expired two months ago and I was about to renew it, I was shocked when I was told that the new rent would be N1.5m.

“I was given just three months to pay up or I would be evicted. When I asked the lawyer why such an exorbitant increase, he was telling me about an increase in the price of building materials, an increase in fuel, a high dollar exchange rate, and all sorts of rubbish.

“As a civil servant, I barely make enough to cover the old rent, and now this increase is unbearable. I have decided to look for a cheaper apartment in another area which is not considered a prime location,” he lamented.

Another tenant, Nanpan Benjamin, who expressed similar concerns, also blamed landlords and their agents for the rising costs.

He said: “The rent increase is so sudden and unfair. People are already struggling with the high cost of necessities and these heartless landlords and their devilish agents are compounding the situation with arbitrary rent increments with bogus hidden fees.

“While we are dealing with the harsh economic situation in the country, landlords are raising rents to ridiculous amounts. These increments are making life unbearable for ordinary citizens and I am calling on the government to take a more critical look at this phenomenon.”

For Blessing Madaki, the surge in rent is partly linked to the influx of internet fraudsters into the city.

“I will say the Yahoo Boys have, one way or the other, contributed to the increase in house rents in Jos. Because they have their ill-gotten money, they are always willing to pay any amount quoted by landlords and their agents.

“They don’t even argue or ask for the rent to be reduced. They just pay any amount they are told,” she stated.

Solomon Inusa, another resident, shared a similar perspective, saying:

“I will say that the sudden appearance of Yahoo Boys in Jos has led to an upward surge in house rents. These boys don’t mind paying any amount landlords demand from them.

“Some landlords also have no problem with this because they know that such tenants will pay whatever they ask for. It’s becoming a problem because we, the regular tenants, have to suffer because of this,” Inusa lamented.

However, some landlords and agents offered a different explanation, citing increased costs of building materials and labour as key factors.

Chief Nehemiah Marcus, a landlord in Kwang, Rayfield, explained that maintenance costs have become unsustainable.

“The rent increase is a direct result of the rising cost of building materials. I could no longer afford the cost of maintaining my houses due to an increase in the price of building materials.

“As much as I understand the plight of my tenants, I also have to account for the fact that maintaining my house is becoming more expensive by the day,” he said.

For Femi Joseph, an agent, the situation is influenced by demand dynamics, noting that landlords are capitalising on increased demand to raise rents.

“We’re in a situation where demand is high, and with the influx of people, especially those with more disposable income, landlords feel justified in increasing rent.

“Cost of building materials is also a factor when determining house rents. If you go to the building materials market to buy things, you will understand what I am talking about,” he added.

Estate developer Prince Thomas attributed the trend to a combination of population growth, rising construction costs, and the influence of cybercriminals.

“Other factors include the limited supply of housing, a lack of affordable options, and the cumbersome process of obtaining development loans,” Thomas said.

He added that increased migration into the city has intensified demand, pushing rental prices higher.

Another developer, Chinedu Eze, also pointed to the high cost of construction materials, influenced by fluctuations in the exchange rate.

“High prices for building materials, which are often affected by the fluctuating value of the dollar, make new construction more expensive for developers,” Eze said.

“The overall housing supply in Jos is not keeping pace with the demand, creating a seller’s market where landlords can charge more, and as I said, it is difficult for developers and individuals to get loans from development finance institutions, which hinders the creation of new housing stock,” he added.

A senior official at the state Ministry of Housing, Bulus Danjuma, also commented on the issue, distancing the government from responsibility.

Danjuma, however, blamed landlords and agents, accusing them of exploiting tenants.

“The state government under His Excellency Barr. Caleb Mutfwang has done a lot to regulate house rents, including sending a bill to the House of Assembly which is aimed at regulating rents in the state, but even at that, the landlords and their agents have continued to frustrate the government’s efforts by arbitrarily increasing their rents leading to frustration for tenants.

“But I am confident that very soon, the situation will be rectified as the lawmakers will soon come up with a policy position,” Danjuma posited.

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