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Some lawyers in Lagos State have lauded the proposed state tenancy law, describing it as a welcome development, while calling for effective measures to ensure its proper regulation and prevent oppression.
The lawyers spoke in separate interviews in Lagos on Sunday, February 15, 2026.
According to the lawyers, when the proposed tenancy law comes into effect, it should be properly monitored to ensure that its provisions are not applied in an oppressive manner.
They emphasised that effective oversight and strict enforcement would be necessary to prevent any form of abuse and to ensure that the law achieved its intended purpose of protecting both landlords and tenants.
The Attorney General of Lagos, Mr. Lawal Pedro, said on Tuesday that the ministry had presented a bill to the State House of Assembly to reform the state’s landlord-tenant law.
Pedro explained that the reform was aimed at fast-tracking litigation in court, reducing the duration of cases to between three months and six months.
The proposed Lagos State Tenancy and Recovery of Premises Bill (2025/2026) prohibits landlords from demanding more than one year’s rent from new tenants or more than three months’ rent from monthly tenants.
The bill enforces the issuance of mandatory rent receipts, caps agent fees at 10 per cent (or five per cent, according to some reports), and introduces seven-day eviction notices for tenants who default on rent.
Reacting to the development, a Lagos-based rights activist, Mr. Spurgeon Ataene, described the move as commendable and called for regular engagement between the government, landlords, and tenants.
The lawyers said that the proposed tenancy law when made effective, should be monitored to ensure its letters were not used in an oppressive manner.
“This manner of rent control is as spurious as it is wanton; I will recommend that governments have an interface with them, to see how best to control rent.
“Imagine paying as much as five million naira for some three-bedroom flats on the Island and Mainland; what would you have left, for school fees and feeding?” he queried.
Ataene noted that these laws could only become effective, if rents were made affordable by the intervention of governments.
“What is more troubling is the enforcement.
“Who should errant agents be reported to, and how many courts do we have to cater to the population and the massive number of cases that may end up in court if a tenant does not vacate the property after seven days?
“These concerns raise questions about the capacity of the existing judicial system and whether it can effectively handle the potential surge in tenancy-related disputes.
“This law is a direct call for anarchy whichever way one looks at. Everyone cannot be on the same level and therefore, capable of paying such exorbitant rent as at when due,” he stated.
He, however, cautioned that landlords should not be allowed to use this as an excuse to engage in self-help by forcefully evicting their tenants while citing a breach of the seven-day notice.
“I must say that for this legal approach to be effective, the government must first address housing problems and make homes affordable to the masses, excluding the rich from bidding for such houses.
“Secondly, food must be affordable. These two needs, if addressed, will determine the effectiveness of the implementation of this law,” he said.
On his part, the convener of the Fight Against Corruption in the Judiciary, Mr Bayo Akinlade, noted that “as long as the recovery of premises is resolved by the courts, the mischief the law seeks to curb would still have to be addressed by the courts.”
“This will still require going to court for interpretation and enforcement,” he said.
While identifying inadequate housing as a major challenge faced by residents, he noted that private individuals often bore the burden of providing shelter, amid what he described as outrageous demands.
He urged that the law be enacted using available data on housing and tenancy disputes to guide its review and implementation.
Akinlade further stated that some landlords would always display the typical traits associated with landlords, but expressed optimism that the new law would seek to correct the imbalance.
Another Lagos-based lawyer, Dr Yemi Omodele, in his contribution, noted that the state had been an initiator of progressive policies in the country and across West Africa, but that implementation remained a major challenge.
Omodele said the state had consistently amended and updated its laws to address the evolving needs and development of its citizens.
According to him, the new tenancy law is a welcome development for the judicial system, but stakeholders must be carried along in the lawmaking process.
Omodele said, “Lawyers handling cases for landlords and tenants should be carried along so that their experiences will be tapped with a view to getting a perfect law.
“However, in the absence of that, there is bound to be a lacuna.”
“If you go to all the magistrates’ courts in the state, you will see thousands of landlord and tenancy cases.
“You will see some courts listing 30 to 40 cases in a day, which is rather sad.
“If the new law comes into force and it is able to address it, fine, but I do not know how the law is going to address this problem to the extent that people will not be filing landlord-tenancy cases in court,” he said.
A landlord, Mr. Saheed Olafimihan, said delays in tenancy litigation had negatively affected rental income and property management.
Olafimihan, however, expressed cautious optimism about the reform.
“Prolonged cases in court have seriously impacted my rental income and when matters linger, landlords bear the financial burden.
“If the proposed tenancy law is truly implemented, I believe it can create a win-win situation for both landlords and tenants,” he said.
A tenant, Mrs. Grace Chibueze, however, expressed concern that the proposed three-month timeline might weaken tenants’ ability to defend themselves adequately.
Chibueze urged the government to strengthen mediation and legal support structures, to protect vulnerable tenants.
“My worry is whether tenants will have enough time to properly present their cases before judgment is delivered.
“The Citizen Mediation Centre and other agencies must be accessible and effective, especially for indigent tenants,” Chibueze said.
By Sandra Umeh and Adenike Ayodele
