Job concentration in a few big cities pushes inexperienced workers toward high-cost neighbourhoods, while a limited affordable supply leaves them choosing long commutes or substandard rooms.
Landlords and letting practices such as large upfront payments, guarantor demands, and annual rent terms make the squeeze worse for first-time earners.
This guide highlights 8 cities where young Nigerians consistently report the toughest rent pressures.
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1. Lagos
Lagos combines the largest job market with chronic housing shortages and a high concentration of expatriates and corporate tenants.
Prime neighbourhoods command some of the highest rents in the region, and many landlords demand large upfront payments that are impossible on entry-level pay.
Lagos’ scale and demand make it the hardest city for new graduates to find affordable, decent housing.
2. Abuja
As the administrative capital, Abuja draws civil servants, diplomats, and contractors, which keeps rents high in gated districts and satellite suburbs.
Certain central districts often show higher advertised rents per square metre, so graduates without secure pay or allowances find the city especially expensive. Employer expectations around short commutes also push newcomers into pricier areas.
3. Port Harcourt
Port Harcourt’s oil-driven economy generates a strong local demand for quality housing and frequent short-term stays by consultants and contractors. That produces steep prices in safe, serviced enclaves and forces graduates into overcrowded or long-commute options.
Volatility in the oil sector makes supply and demand swing fast, worsening affordability for junior workers.
4. Benin City
Benin City has seen rising rents as the local economy and remittance flows increase demand for better housing. New graduates competing with relatively higher-earning professionals and visitors often face fewer low-cost, well-serviced alternatives, so rent takes a disproportionate share of starting incomes.
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5. Ibadan
Ibadan’s growing middle-class suburbs and new developments mean higher asking rents in convenient locations. Many graduates discover that affordable units lie far from campus hubs or employment centres, trading lower rent for long, costly commutes that eat into time and income.
6. Enugu
Improved infrastructure and rising employer activity in Enugu have pushed demand for good housing up in gated estates and planned layouts. Fresh graduates entering the local job market find that newer, safer stock commands a price premium, narrowing affordable options for those on entry-level pay.
7. Kano
As a major commercial hub, Kano attracts traders, students, and public sector workers, resulting in a concentrated demand for decent rental units. Limited quality supply in central districts and rising construction costs push rents higher, leaving recent graduates to choose between poor-quality units close to work or lower rents with longer commutes.
8. Uyo and other oil-region capitals
Smaller state capitals connected to oil and gas activity, such as Uyo, often spike in rent when project work or contract seasons are active. Short-term inflows of higher-paid workers drive prices up temporarily but painfully for locals and graduates who must cover steady monthly bills during both boom and slow periods.
Fresh graduates’ pay may often start below market rent levels, while many landlords still require hefty upfront payments, guarantors, or annual rents paid in advance.
Inflation, construction costs, and occasional exchange-rate pressures add to the squeeze. For many young Nigerians, finding decent rent is not a lifestyle choice but a survival test that shapes their first years in the workforce.
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