Rising Rents Force Kubwa Residents to Cut Spending on Food, Healthcare, Education.

Residents of Kubwa in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) say rising house rents are putting severe pressure on household finances, forcing many families to reduce spending on food, healthcare and education.

The residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that rents had increased sharply within the past year, leaving them with less disposable income and little capacity to save for emergencies.

According to NAN, some residents said the cost of accommodation had in some cases doubled, prompting calls for government intervention to protect tenants from excessive rent increases.

A resident, Mr Abdulsalam Danladi, said his one bedroom apartment rent increased from N800,000 to N1.5 million without any significant improvement to the property. He said the increase had forced his family to cut down on basic needs, including food.

Similarly, civil servant Mr Romanus Orjinta said the rising cost of accommodation forced him to move his children to a cheaper school, despite concerns about the possible effect on their education.

Another resident, Mr Achadu Emmanuel, said his two bedroom rent increased from N1.5 million to N2 million. He said relocating to a cheaper area would increase his transportation expenses, while the rent increase had also affected his ability to save for emergencies.

Mrs Josephine Daudu, a mother of three, said higher rent had also affected her family’s access to healthcare. She disclosed that she had moved from private to public healthcare services after her two bedroom rent increased from N1.4 million to N2 million without a corresponding increase in her salary.

A landlord, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwobu, attributed the rising rents to increased building costs, infrastructure expenses, property maintenance and growing demand for accommodation in Abuja.

NAN reports that residents are calling for stronger government measures to regulate rent increases and protect tenants from what they described as excessive charges.

The rising rents in Kubwa highlight the growing difficulty faced by households as accommodation costs continue to consume a larger share of incomes, leaving families with fewer resources for other essential needs.