The Cross River State House of Assembly has appealed to landlords and housing agents to reduce or moderate house rents amid widespread economic hardship affecting residents, particularly in Calabar.
Lawmakers described the sharp rise in accommodation costs as “unreasonable, unprovoked, and economically destabilising.”
The call followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rt. Hon. Davies Etta, representing Abi State Constituency, during a plenary session.
Etta highlighted that many tenants, including civil servants, students and small business owners, are struggling under the weight of arbitrary rent hikes.
He noted that landlords, often advised by agents, have increased prices on even old and poorly maintained properties without justification.
According to the lawmaker, a self-contained room on Marian Road now costs as high as ₦1.5 million per year, while one-bedroom apartments in Calabar South range between ₦800,000 and ₦1 million.
In areas such as Parliamentary Extension, State Housing and CICC, rents for one- or two-bedroom flats have climbed to ₦2 million or more.
Some landlords are also demanding up to two years’ rent in advance and issuing sudden eviction notices.
Etta warned that the trend is compounding the economic difficulties faced by residents and called for urgent legislative action to regulate property rentals, protect tenants’ rights, and oversee the activities of housing agents.
He also urged the Ministry of Housing to monitor the sector and for steps to lower the cost of locally produced building materials.Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, backed the motion, describing it as timely.
The Assembly indicated it would work on a regulatory framework that balances the interests of landlords and tenants while addressing the hardship caused by soaring rents.
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