Soaring Rent Crisis Forces Nigerians to Live in Shops as Makeshift Apartments

Nigeria’s worsening housing crisis is pushing more citizens to abandon traditional apartments for shop spaces, as skyrocketing rents force families to seek cheaper and unconventional living arrangements.

Since the COVID-19 era, rent prices have surged, with landlords increasing rates by over 100 per cent, leaving many tenants unable to keep up. For some, even single-room apartments have become unaffordable luxuries.

Economy & Lifestyle findings reveal that landlords, faced with vacant shop fronts in residential areas, now rent them out as living spaces. Struggling tenants—artisans, bus conductors, and low-income earners—have resorted to taking these shops as makeshift homes.

Mr Jude Boma, a mechanic, recounted how his rent tripled within months, forcing him to send his family to the village. “I rented a shop space to manage with some friends. It’s not easy, but at least I have a roof over my head. When there is life, good things can still happen,” he said.

For Miss Osasowie George, a pure water seller, survival meant moving into a rented shop after her landlord’s son raised her yearly rent from ₦30,000 to ₦80,000. “We begged him, but he refused. We eventually found a shop for ₦20,000 a year. The rate at which people increase rent without considering tenants is outrageous,” she lamented.

Housing agents confirm the trend, noting that many shop owners now lease unused spaces to desperate tenants. “Instead of leaving shops vacant, landlords rent them out. It has become an alternative for low-income earners who need somewhere to sleep,” said Idris Moshood, a caretaker.

With inflation, rising costs of living, and stagnant wages compounding the crisis, experts warn that Nigeria’s urban housing challenge may worsen unless urgent intervention is made to regulate rent hikes and expand affordable housing options.