Lagos Deputy Governor Urges Young Workers to Share Rent, Stay With Parents

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, has advised young workers not to feel pressured into renting expensive apartments, urging them instead to consider living with parents, relatives, or in shared accommodation while building financial stability.

Hamzat gave the advice during a live Q&A session on Nigeria Info FM, responding to concerns about how workers earning modest incomes could cope with rising rents in Lagos.

He noted that a 22-year-old earning ₦100,000 monthly should avoid spending nearly all of their income on rent.“Young people should not feel compelled to start from the top. If you spend more than 40 per cent of your income on rent, it is too high because you must eat, buy clothes, and pay for transportation,” Hamzat said.

He explained that Lagos’ housing strategy focuses on mortgage financing rather than one-off payments, stressing that residents must be properly identified and assessed for repayment capacity.

Using the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) number, he said, the government can evaluate eligibility for housing finance.

Hamzat gave an example of a ₦7 million property where buyers could pay 10 per cent upfront and spread the balance over 10 years, with monthly repayments adjusted to income levels.

He added that young workers could begin with smaller properties and gradually move toward home ownership as their earnings improve. “It doesn’t have to be a self-contained apartment at the start. You can begin with one bedroom or shared housing,” he said.

The deputy governor acknowledged that housing affordability is tied to broader economic stability, stressing that better incomes and predictable prices are essential for residents to plan effectively.

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