Hamzat’s Lagos Rent Advice: Practical Strategy or Government Failure?

Dr. Obafemi Hamzat’s comments on how someone earning ₦100,000 can manage a ₦1 million annual rent in Lagos have triggered strong reactions. His suggestion that some young people may need to live with parents or relatives has been widely criticised as out of touch. However, his wider point was that rent should not consume most of a person’s income. He argued that young workers should avoid housing costs they cannot sustain, while using family support where available to save and build stability. The larger issue is that many residents do not have that option. Rising rents, low wages and upfront rent demands have made independent living difficult for many Lagos workers. The debate should also focus on workable mortgages, stronger regulation of agents and landlords, and policies that improve incomes and housing supply. Living with family can be a temporary financial strategy, but it should not replace government action on Lagos’s housing affordability crisis. Do you see Hamzat’s advice as realistic, dismissive, or both?

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