How Lagos Residents Can Crash Rent Costs and Pay Less for N3.5m Apartment
- Flatsharing can help Lagos residents to cut rent, service charges and household expenses without moving far from work
- Three-bedroom homes and existing empty-room arrangements offer flexible options for friends, colleagues and students
- Landlord approval, written household rules and transparent cost-sharing are essential for avoiding disputes and protecting tenants
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Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
Lagos residents struggling with rising rents are increasingly looking for ways to reduce their housing expenses without abandoning the city or moving far from work.
One option is sharing an apartment with flatmates, allowing several people to divide annual rent, service charges, electricity, internet and other household expenses, according to Legit.ng findings.
Source: UGC
The arrangement can make a property that is unaffordable for one person more manageable for a small group. However, the savings depend on the apartment's total cost, the number of residents and the terms agreed with the landlord.
Research by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies highlights the wider housing affordability crisis in Nigeria, including rising rents, inadequate affordable housing supply and the financial burden of relocating when tenants can no longer afford their homes.
How flatmates can reduce annual rent bills
The simplest approach is to rent a two-bedroom apartment with one other person. Each resident occupies a private room while sharing the living room, kitchen and other common facilities.
For example, an apartment costing ₦3.6 million annually, with ₦600,000 in additional housing expenses, would cost ₦4.2 million per year.
Shared equally among three residents, each person's contribution would be ₦1.4 million annually, or approximately ₦116,667 monthly.
A resident who would otherwise spend ₦1.8 million annually on a solo housing arrangement could save about ₦400,000 per year under this illustrative arrangement.
The calculation is not a verified market average. It shows how dividing the total cost of a home can reduce each person's housing burden.
Three-bedroom apartments offer another option
Three-bedroom apartments can provide a practical arrangement for colleagues, friends or students who already know one another.
Each resident can have a private room while the household shares common areas and agreed expenses. The larger property may also provide more flexibility for household responsibilities and personal space.
Another option is joining an existing tenant who has an empty room. This can reduce the burden of securing a whole apartment, although the new occupant must confirm that the landlord permits the arrangement.
Residents should compare the total cost of a shared apartment with the cost of living alone, including transport, service charges, agency fees, legal fees, deposits and furniture.
Landlord approval is essential
The Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011 is a key legal reference for residential tenancy arrangements in the state.
Section 7 of the law states that, subject to the tenancy agreement, a tenant must not assign or sublet any part of the premises without the landlord's written consent.
This means a tenant cannot simply bring in a flatmate without checking the lease and obtaining the necessary approval.
The law also excludes certain areas, including Ikoyi, Ikeja GRA, Victoria Island and Apapa, from its general application. Residents should therefore confirm which legal provisions apply to their property.
Agree on household rules before moving in
Flatsharing works best when residents agree on money, privacy, cleaning, guests and household responsibilities before moving in.
A written agreement should state each person's rent contribution, payment deadlines, notice period, responsibility for damage and the process for replacing a departing flatmate.
Electricity, water, internet and service charges should also be discussed openly.
Residents should verify the landlord or authorised agent, inspect the apartment and keep payment records to reduce the risk of fraud or disputes.
Source: UGC
The smartest way to cut Lagos housing costs
Sharing an apartment can offer meaningful relief for Lagos residents facing expensive housing. The strongest arrangements combine a suitable location, compatible flatmates, transparent expenses and proper landlord approval.
While flatsharing cannot solve Nigeria's housing shortage, it can help individual residents manage rent more sustainably and avoid paying the full cost of a home alone.
Lagos rent: 6 cheaper neighbourhoods to consider
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Lagos has cemented its position among the world’s most expensive cities for high-end rental housing, but tenants willing to look beyond Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Banana Island can find significantly cheaper options.
The commercial capital ranked fourth among 10 cities for high-end two-bedroom rental costs in 2026, with an average annual rent of $19,379, according to a recent Nairametrics report.
Source: Legit.ng
