A young Nigerian woman has shared a shocking rental experience on social media, revealing how the apartment she vacated was immediately re-rented at double the price she paid.
From N300k to N600k: A Costly Move
In a TikTok video posted by user @kala_ann24, a lady identified as Ann narrated her ordeal. She explained that in 2025, she rented an apartment for N300,000. However, she soon encountered a significant problem: the area had persistently poor network coverage, making daily communication and work difficult.
Frustrated by the situation, Ann made the tough decision to move out and seek a new place in a different location, even though the rent she had paid had not yet expired. She absorbed the financial loss for the sake of better connectivity.
The Stunning Discovery of Price Gouging
The real shock came later. After relocating, Ann discovered that the landlord had quickly found a new tenant for the very same apartment. The staggering part? The new rental price was set at N600,000—exactly double what she had paid just months earlier.
Expressing her disbelief in the video, Ann questioned the landlord's action, asking pointedly, "Did they rebuild the house?" She described the 100% price hike within a single year as an act of "wickedness," especially since no visible improvements or renovations were made to the property to justify the increase.
Nigerians React: Outrage, Greed, and Market Realities
The video sparked a heated debate among Nigerians, highlighting the severe challenges in the country's housing market. Many commenters shared similar stories of exorbitant rents and questionable practices.
@Dr Ugoyah commented on the situation in Enugu, citing examples where tenants are asked to pay huge additional sums beyond the agreed rent. @Vera-vick lamented the current market, mentioning seeing self-contained rooms advertised for N800,000 with total payments (including caution fees) reaching up to N1.4 million.
Others placed blame on intermediaries, with @NOJIS and @$IRMI£P?U₦D$ suggesting that property agents were often the ones driving up prices out of greed. @Dehbie summed up a common sentiment, stating, "Some landlords dey feel say dem be God."
However, a different perspective emerged from users like @Matoxki, who argued it was simply a matter of market forces. "It’s his house. He can rent the amount he wants. It’s left to people to ignore it," the user stated, comparing it to pricing strategies in other businesses.
This incident sheds light on the precarious state of Nigeria's rental market, where tenants face not only high costs but also unpredictable hikes and practices that many consider unfair. Ann's story has become a rallying point for discussions on tenant rights, ethical landlord practices, and the broader affordability crisis in urban housing.
