By John Dike, Osogbo
Rent in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, has gone up by about 100 percent, fueling deep frustration being expressed by tenants.
Prospective tenants particularly are dazed, finding it difficult to cope with the outrageous fixed rent, and additional levies being charged by agents.
The sudden and steep increase in house rents by landlords and real estate agents has seen tenants and prospective ones being asked to pay unjustifiable and hardly affordable monthly or annual rent.
For instance, investigations by our correspondent showed that the cost of renting a single-room apartment has surged dramatically.
Until recently, such apartments went for about ₦3,000 per month, but tenants are now being asked to pay between ₦6,000 and ₦7,000 monthly.
Many accuse property owners and their agents of exploiting the current economic situation to extort innocent citizens who are struggling to secure accommodation within the metropolis.
In addition to the rent hike, prospective tenants are being subjected to exorbitant agency fees.
Some house agents reportedly charge between ₦20,000 and ₦30,000 for a single room — excluding the actual rent.
This development means that a “face-me-I-face-you” apartment, which used to be affordable for low-income earners, now costs between ₦80,000 and ₦90,000 per year.
As a result, many residents who cannot afford these skyrocketing fees have been forced to seek refuge in unconventional places, including churches and friends’ houses, while they continue their desperate search for accommodation.
Mrs. Mary Ojo, a resident of Osogbo who spoke with our correspondent, shared her ordeal. She explained that she had been searching for an affordable single-room apartment for months without success.
“I’ve kept my belongings in a church and I’m currently staying with a friend,” she said. “I deliberately avoided using agents because they are exploiting innocent house seekers. But now, getting a house in Osogbo has become a tough battle. Most landlords have handed their houses over to agents, and that has been the major reason behind the constant yearly increment.”
Similarly, Mr. Abass Kolawole, a landlord in the Aregbe area of Osogbo, offered a different perspective on the situation. According to him, the rent hike is not arbitrary but a direct response to the country’s rising inflation.
“Building materials are now very expensive,” he explained. “If you check the cost of maintaining a house, you will understand why the increment is justified. We, too, are affected by the economic situation.”
Despite this, many residents insist that the situation has gone far beyond what the average citizen can afford. With inflation and unemployment already worsening, the sharp rise in rent has added another layer of hardship to the lives of many Osogbo residents.
“The government needs to intervene before the situation gets out of hand,” a concerned resident stated. “The exploitation by house agents has become a serious public concern, and only government action can curb this menace through appropriate housing regulations and enforcement measures.”
As the housing crisis deepens, citizens are calling on the Osun State Government and relevant agencies to step in, regulate rent prices, and protect vulnerable tenants from further exploitation and homelessness.
