RISING RENTS AND THE STRUGGLE FOR AFFORDABLE LIVING

Despite working in one of Nigeria’s fast-growing tech sectors, a 32-year-old product manager cannot afford to live near his office and has relocated to a cheaper area farther away. His situation mirrors that of many Lagos residents facing skyrocketing rents that have risen far beyond wage growth.
Lagos, a major financial and cultural hub with a rapidly growing population, experiences heavy migration daily, putting intense pressure on housing. In just a few years, rents have multiplied across both the mainland and island, leaving many unable to afford decent accommodation on their own.
The shortage of affordable housing has also changed how people live in the city. Many tenants now share apartments or move repeatedly in search of cheaper rent, while informal arrangements and overcrowding have become increasingly common. Estate agents say even mid-income earners struggle to find housing that matches their salaries, as prices continue to climb faster than incomes.
As a result, people are moving to distant suburbs, sharing apartments, and enduring long, exhausting commutes that can last several hours each day. For workers like Ogundipe and civil servant Ayodeji Monsuru, the rising cost of housing is not just a financial burden but a daily struggle—one that is making life in the city increasingly unsustainable.