Kogi Assembly Offers Relief to Tenants as Anti-Exploitation Housing Bill Scales Second Reading »

The Kogi State House of Assembly has passed the Tenancy (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2025 through its second reading.

The proposed legislation aims to replace the outdated Rent Control and Recovery of Residential Premises Law of 2007 and introduce far-reaching reforms to address landlord excesses, regulate non-residential accommodations, and establish clearer legal standards for tenancy agreements.

Leading the debate during plenary, Hon. Akus Lawal, member representing Ankpa I Constituency and sponsor of the bill, said the legislation seeks to correct longstanding gaps in the 2007 law, which focused only on residential premises and lacked any administrative framework for implementation.

“The bill introduces proper nomenclature, standard practices, and enforcement structures that will regulate tenancy relationships across the state,” Hon. Lawal stated.

“Since 2007, there has been no official classification of accommodation types or rent ceilings, which has left tenants vulnerable to exploitation.”

The bill proposes the creation of a Rent Control Board and Task Force, empowered to enforce rent standards, mediate disputes, and oversee licensing of property agents. It also seeks to impose a rent tax on landlords collecting over N3 million annually, prohibit advance rent payments exceeding 12 months, and penalize unlicensed agents and rent-related fraud.

Other key provisions include mandatory registration of rental properties with the Rent Control Board and a cap on agency fees at 5% of the rent value.

Others are pre-litigation alternative dispute resolution, cland criminal sanctions for impersonation, bribery, and rent extortion.

Lawmakers praised the bill’s modern, digital approach and its potential to restore fairness in landlord-tenant relations.

With the second reading passed, the bill now moves to the relevant committee for further scrutiny.

“This bill is a bold and necessary step to protect citizens, promote justice, and modernize property rental practices in Kogi State,” Lawal added, while calling for accelerated passage.