Following the high cost of living and building materials across the country, renting houses in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city has become almost impossible for salary earners.
In the past, self-contain apartments also known as studio apartments goes for, between N400,000 to N600,000, in choice areas of the city.
However, things took a drastic turn following the growing inflation, economic hardship and high cost of living.
Currently, a basic studio apartment now goes for as high as N1.5 miilion to N2 million in the FCT.
Speaking on the increasing rent, residents of the FCT who used to live in choice areas of the city are now relocating to some of the suburbs.
For instance, in Utako, a resident who spoke to Politics Nigeria under anonymity said her landlord has just increased her rent from N700,000 to N1,200,000 – an amount she obviously cannot afford.
She also told this newspaper that she has plans to start scouting for houses in places like Karu, Kubwa or Lugbe after her extensive search for a new place.
Also another resident of Mabushi said she had wanted to move from her current apartment, a self-contain, to something newer and different but prices have kept her back.
“See, I am tired of this place. I was hoping to get something newer, a change of environment and possibly meet new people.
“I am currently paying N750,000 in my one-bedroom flat but since I’ve been house hunting, all I’ve been seeing is outrageous. N1.5 million, N2 million, I even saw one for N2.5 million, for a self-contain,” Chika lamented.
She also blamed some of the landlords for their greed and the inability for a regulation agency in the FCT.
However, speaking on the skyrocketing rent in the city, a landlord, Festus Onuoha said one can hardly blame anyone who increases the rent of their properties.
Onuoha said the prices of building materials are on the high with cement going for over N9,000 in some places.
He said, “Almost all the building materials, interior fittings are imported and cost like over 150 percent from the initials prices.”
“So you really can’t blame the landlords,” he said.
When queried about the increasing rent for old buildings, Onuoha said the cost of maintaining those buildings costs a fortune too with the high cost of building materials.
He also blamed the rising inflation and high cost of living for the increase in rent.
