The Ekiti State Government has raised alarm over the continuous rise in house rents, warning that decisive steps will be taken to curb exploitative practices affecting residents.
The Special Adviser on Land and Mortgage Development, Gboyega Oloniyo, said the state’s growing economic appeal has attracted new investors and migrants, thereby increasing pressure on available housing.
He made this known in Ado Ekiti during a public sensitisation programme focused on reducing accommodation costs and improving access to affordable housing.
Oloniyo announced the creation of an Estate Agents Committee that will serve as a regulatory tribunal to handle disputes and check arbitrary rent increases imposed by landlords and agents.
He lamented that new infrastructure projects often trigger sudden rent hikes, while multiple agency and facility charges have pushed accommodation beyond the reach of many low- and middle-income earners.
According to him, the government will no longer tolerate unregulated practices that inflate rents, noting that modestly priced apartments frequently become excessively expensive before reaching tenants.
The adviser called on landlords and estate professionals to cooperate with government efforts, adding that the administration of Biodun Oyebanji was expanding housing projects to ease accommodation challenges across the state.
Also, Chairman of the House Committee on Lands, Housing and Physical Planning, Yomi Ayorinde, pledged legislative backing for the committee’s recommendations, while Mary Oso-Omotosho assured residents that continued engagement would help stabilise rent rates and eliminate illegal practices in the sector.
