Akus Lawal, the member representing Ankpa I state constituency in the Kogi state House of Assembly, has proposed a bill to repeal the existing Rent Control and Recovery of Residential Premises Law, 2007.
The bill, titled Kogi State Tenancy Law, 2025, was presented on Wednesday, May 7, and aims to improve administrative efficiency, enhance legal clarity, ensure fairer representation on regulatory bodies, and promote digital approaches to tenancy regulation.
Mr Lawal, who also chairs the House Committee on Finance and Economic Planning, said the new legislation is necessary to address gaps in the 2007 law and align the state’s rental framework with modern realities.
The bill proposes the establishment of a Rent Control Board and Rent Control Task Force with powers to fix standard rent rates and enforce strict compliance with tenancy regulations.
According to sections 8 to 11 of the draft bill, the board will regulate the actions of landlords and tenants and enforce the governor’s exclusive power to set rent ceilings.
Section 13 introduces a new mechanism for alternative dispute resolution by making it mandatory to first lay rent-related complaints before the board before seeking legal redress in court.
The bill also outlines in sections 16 and 17 the specific rights and obligations of landlords and tenants, aiming to create a more balanced relationship between both parties.
Sections 19 to 25, 36, 54 to 55 and 59 prescribe penalties for various violations, including unlawful eviction, rent racketeering, and refusal to issue receipts.
All property agents will be required to register with the board and must not charge more than 5 percent of the rent sum as agency fee, according to sections 13, 18 and 20.
The bill also mandates landlords to register their premises, keep rent books, and provide the personal details of tenants for security purposes.
Section 18 prohibits landlords and agents from collecting more than 12 months’ rent in advance, with penalties attached for violations.
Under section 13, landlords earning over three million naira annually in cumulative rent will be required to pay a rent tax.
Impersonation by fake landlords or agents to fraudulently collect rent will be criminalised under section 25.
Section 15 empowers landlords and tenants to apply to the board for a review or variation of rent amounts.
Sections 23 and 24 provide penalties for board officials and property owners found guilty of bribery or collusion to flout the law.
The bill also bars individuals from taking rent-related disputes to the police or security personnel unless the matter involves criminal activity, as stated in section 13.
Mr Lawal said the bill contains “inherent checks and balances” to confine parties in a tenancy agreement to the scope of their legal rights and obligations.
He said the proposed law is designed to ensure a peaceful coexistence between landlords and tenants and to promote transparency, order and fairness in Kogi’s housing sector.
