Lagos Deputy Governor Hamzat Proposes Family Living for Youths Amidst Rising Rents

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, has generated significant discussion following his counsel to young professionals regarding housing. He encouraged them to avoid the immediate pressure of securing costly rental properties, instead suggesting they consider residing with family members—be it parents or other relatives—or opting for shared living arrangements as a strategy to consolidate their financial standing. This guidance was offered by Hamzat during a live question-and-answer segment on Nigeria Info FM, held on Thursday, August 20.

The Deputy Governor's remarks came in response to a query concerning the escalating cost of accommodation in Lagos. Specifically, he was posed with the challenge faced by a 22-year-old individual earning a monthly salary of N100,000, and how such an income could realistically cover an annual rent of approximately N1 million for a self-contained unit or a mini-flat.

In his reply, Hamzat emphasized that young individuals ought to select housing options commensurate with their earnings, rather than aspiring for premium living spaces right from the outset. He stated, “Don’t let us misunderstand ourselves as a people. We are cultural people. Do you understand? So, if I start work as a young person and I’m not married, a lot of us live with our parents. A lot of us live with our cousins. You know, go to Turkey, for example, and see how young people also live.”

He further elaborated that fresh entrants into the workforce should not feel pressured to immediately occupy self-contained apartments if their current financial capacity does not permit it. The Deputy Governor explained, “So, if you don’t start from the top self-contained, you don’t start from the top. You start from the average depending on.”

Additionally, Hamzat advised that Lagos residents ought to allocate no more than 40 percent of their earnings towards rent, highlighting the necessity for individuals to cover other essential expenditures. He firmly stated, “In fact, if you spend more than 40 per cent of your income on rent, it is too high because you must eat, you must buy clothes, you must do transportation.”