By David Onwuchekwa
Tears, frustration and quiet displacement have become the daily reality of many tenants in Nnewi as house rents continue to rise at an alarming and unsustainable rate, forcing low-income earners to seek shelter in neighbouring communities.
Findings indicate that following what residents describe as the outcome of closed-door understandings among landlords and property agents, rent increments in the industrial town have become rapid and indiscriminate.
As a result, many workers, artisans and small traders are relocating to nearby towns such as Oba, Nnobi, Ozubulu, Awka-Etiti and other communities, where accommodation remains relatively affordable.
Investigations reveal that a three-bedroom flat with basic water facilities, which rented for about ₦120,000 per annum five years ago, now goes for between ₦800,000 and ₦900,000.
Similarly, a two-bedroom apartment which used to be N60,000 to N70,000 within the period in review now attracts between ₦600,000 and ₦700,000 annually. These figures represent an exponential increase that has far outpaced wage growth and general living conditions.
Worrisomely, the trend cuts across both new and old buildings. Many landlords of aging structures have joined the upward review, despite the absence of renovations or improvements that could reasonably justify such steep increases.
This has deepened the hardship faced by tenants, particularly non-indigenes who form a significant part of Nnewi’s workforce and contribute immensely to its industrial and commercial vibrancy.
The prevailing situation has left many families emotionally and financially distressed, with some forced to downsize abruptly or move their children out of schools due to increased transportation and living costs.
The ripple effects of the housing crisis now threaten social stability and economic productivity in the town.
We, therefore, call on the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, to urgently intervene and examine the spiralling cost of house rents in Nnewi and other parts of the State, with a view to halting and normalising the trend so that ordinary citizens can breathe again.
We also appeal to His Royal Highness, Igwe Kenneth Orizu III (Igwe Nnewi), and the various Obis of Nnewi to use their moral authority and traditional influence to prevail on landlords and property stakeholders to exercise restraint.
Housing is a basic necessity, not a luxury. Investment in residential and commercial buildings is a long-term venture and should not be treated like short-term trading aimed at instant profit.
A more humane, balanced and socially responsible approach to rent charges is urgently needed to protect the poor and preserve Nnewi’s reputation as a welcoming industrial hub.
