New Bill To Regulate House Rent In Abuja Seeks To Ban Landlords From Collecting More Than 12 Months Advance
A new bill before the House of Representatives is seeking to regulate how house rent is collected in the Federal Capital Territory and protect tenants from excessive advance payments.
The Federal Capital Territory Advance Rent Regulation and Tenants Protection Bill 2026, marked as HB.2839, is jointly sponsored by Paul Nnamchi of APC Enugu and Ahmed Doro of PDP Katsina. The bill passed first reading on October 22, 2026.
According to details of the 17-page bill obtained by Premium Times, the proposal goes beyond limiting advance rent. It seeks to create a full regulatory framework for tenancy in Abuja covering tenancy agreements, agents, refunds, eviction and dispute resolution.
The main provision is in Section 4 of the bill. Section 4 subsection 1 provides that a landlord, estate agent or property manager shall not demand, receive or compel a tenant to pay more than twelve months rent in advance as a condition for granting, renewing or continuing a tenancy.
This means the bill does not ban advance rent or force monthly payments. It only sets 12 months as the maximum that can be compulsorily demanded upfront. Demanding two or three years rent as condition for tenancy would become an offence if the bill becomes law.
The bill also closes loopholes that landlords and agents could use to evade the restriction. It lists the use of intermediaries, unexplained premiums, compulsory service charges, artificial renewal of tenancy and separate agreements designed to extract more than 12 months advance as prohibited.
However, Section 4 subsection 4 says a tenant can voluntarily pay more than 12 months in advance if the tenant initiates the offer and the payment is not imposed by the landlord. Such payment must be free of coercion, threats or retaliation and must be recorded in writing. The person receiving the payment will bear the burden of proving compliance.
The bill also requires written tenancy agreements. Section 5 states that landlords or their authorized agents must provide tenancy agreements stating rent amount, payment schedule, duration, refundable deposits, fees and rights and obligations of both parties.
It adds that a landlord or agent shall not impose any fee or charge unless its nature, amount and lawful basis were disclosed before the agreement was concluded. Receipts or electronic acknowledgements must also be issued for payments.
It prohibits retaliation against tenants who refuse to make unlawful payments or who complain about violations. A landlord would not be allowed to threaten or unlawfully evict such tenant or withdraw lawful benefits.
Tenants can also demand refunds. Section 7 provides that a tenant who paid rent in contravention of Section 4 can apply to the proposed FCT Rent Regulation and Tenants Protection Authority for a refund order. Where the authority finds violation, it can order refund within 30 days. Aggrieved parties can appeal to the FCT High Court.
Section 8 proposes the establishment of the Federal Capital Territory Rent Regulation and Tenants Protection Authority. The authority will receive complaints, monitor landlords and agents, issue compliance notices, facilitate mediation, order refunds and refer criminal offences to law enforcement.
It will set up complaint offices and electronic reporting channels across the FCT including satellite towns and publish periodic reports. Its board will include representatives of FCT Administration, federal ministry of housing, federal ministry of justice, tenants, landlords and estate surveyors and valuers. The President will appoint the chairperson, board members and director-general subject to Senate confirmation.
For penalties, a person convicted of knowingly demanding or receiving unlawful advance rent will face a fine between 500,000 naira and 5 million naira. A corporate body will face a fine between 5 million naira and 20 million naira. Courts can also order refunds and compensation. Failure to comply with a compliance notice will attract fine up to 1 million naira.
The bill also targets unlawful eviction. It prohibits violence, threats, disconnecting essential services, removing tenants property and changing locks without lawful authority. It however states that tenants must still pay lawful rent and landlords retain right to recover possession through due process.
Despite the protections, the bill does not regulate how much rent landlords can charge. There is no rent ceiling or limit on rent increase. It also does not regulate agency fees, agreement fees and caution deposits, which in Abuja can be as high as 40 percent of rent. It only requires disclosure of such charges without setting maximum percentage.
It also does not require landlords to accept monthly or quarterly payments. A landlord can still insist on full one year rent upfront from salary earners who earn monthly.
This is not the first attempt. In January 2022, Senator Smart Adeyemi sponsored a bill seeking to regulate rent in FCT to reduce advance rent to three months and subsequent monthly payments. That bill passed second reading in February 2022 but lapsed with the end of the 9th National Assembly in May 2023.
While the 2022 bill sought to introduce monthly rent, the 2026 bill allows up to 12 months advance, so it does not fully solve the problem faced by monthly salary earners.
The bill is still at early stage. After first reading, it will go for second reading for debate on general principles, then to committee stage for clause by clause scrutiny and public hearing, then third reading and passage by the House, transmission to Senate for concurrence, and finally to President for assent.
If enacted, the authority should become operational within six months, while the FCT Minister is expected to appoint board and director-general within three months.
Until the process is completed, the restrictions and penalties remain proposals and cannot be enforced.
