“No Lady Wants to Stay in a Family House Again”: How Rising Rent Is Stalling Marriages in Kwara
- Young adults in Ilorin say soaring rent is making the dream of marriage harder to achieve
- Prospective couples face pressure to secure personal apartments before marriage, complicating family planning
- Residents point to landlords, POP houses, and limited jobs as factors stalling marriage decisions
For many young adults in Ilorin, the dream of marriage is increasingly being postponed, not because of a lack of love or commitment, but due to the rising cost of accommodation in the Kwara state capital.
In conversations with Legit.ng, several residents of Ilorin within the 25 to 35 age bracket said the city’s housing market has become hostile to young people, especially those hoping to start families.
Source: UGC
Out of seven individuals interviewed, five shared similar concerns, pointing to what they described as unjustified rent increases in a city with limited job opportunities.
One of the respondents, Shehu Mustapha, said bluntly:
“Rent is killing our marriage plans.”
“You want to marry, but when you look at house rent, you just pause.”
The respondents argued that the current cost of rent in Ilorin no longer reflects the economic reality of most residents, especially young workers.
“The rent people are paying in Ilorin now does not reflect the kind of jobs available here,” one interviewee who simply identified himself as Azeez told Legit.ng.
“Most people are earning modest salaries, yet landlords are charging as if this is Lagos or Abuja.”
Another resident added:
“Even if you are working, your salary can barely cover rent and feeding. Saving for marriage becomes almost impossible.”
They explained that while Ilorin remains a civil-service-driven city with limited private-sector opportunities, rent has continued to climb steadily.
“There is no booming job market here, but rent keeps increasing every year,” a respondent said.
“That’s the painful part.”
‘POP houses’ driving up rent
Many of the young residents blamed what they described as landlords’ obsession with ‘POP houses’, homes fitted with decorative plaster ceilings, as a major factor driving up rental prices.
“Once a house has POP, the rent automatically increases,” one respondent said.
“Even if the building is old, POP alone becomes the excuse to inflate the price.”
They also accused landlords and property agents of working together to push prices beyond the reach of average earners.
“Both landlords and agents are inflating prices, all in the name of POP houses,” another interviewee said. “Agents will tell you, ‘This one is POP,’ and suddenly the rent has doubled.”
One resident described the cost of securing accommodation as overwhelming:
“By the time you add agent fee, agreement, caution fee, and rent, it’s frightening. Sometimes the agent fee alone is almost the same as one year’s rent.”
Source: UGC
Family housing issues stall marriage dreams
Beyond rising rent, the respondents said changing social expectations around marriage have made housing a critical issue, especially for men still living in their family homes.
“One of the reasons many of us can’t marry now is that no lady is willing to stay with us at our family house again,” a respondent explained.
Another young man echoed the concern:
“Before, couples could manage in a family house and plan ahead. Now, the first question is, ‘Where will we stay?’ If you don’t have your own apartment, discussions stop there.”
According to them, the pressure to secure a personal apartment before marriage has become non-negotiable for many prospective partners.
“Marriage now comes with pressure,” one resident said.
“Before wedding plans, accommodation is already a major test.”
Some of the interviewees said the situation has forced many young people to delay marriage indefinitely, despite being ready emotionally and mentally.
“People want to marry,” one respondent said. “But when you calculate rent and other responsibilities, you just keep postponing.”
Another added, “It’s frustrating because you feel stuck. You’re old enough to marry, but rent is holding you back.”
They warned that if the trend continues, delayed marriages could become more widespread, with broader social consequences.
“Housing is no longer just a shelter issue,” a resident noted.
“It’s now affecting family life and future plans.”
Reps push rent regulation to curb exploitation
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nigeria’s House of Representatives has urged the federal government to work with state authorities to regulate house rents nationwide, condemning landlords’ “wanton exploitation” of tenants struggling with high costs.
The resolution, moved by lawmaker Bassey Akiba, calls for rent control measures that cap increases at no more than 20 per cent, even where public infrastructure upgrades occur, to protect renters from sudden, steep hikes.
Reps also directed the Committee on Housing and Habitat to monitor compliance and urged greater investment in affordable housing, saying fair rents and accessible homes are essential amid Nigeria’s economic pressures.
Source: Legit.ng
