Renting in Abuja: a plain guide

How it usually works

Renting in Abuja follows the same broad order as elsewhere in Nigeria: find a place, inspect it, agree the terms, pay the move-in total and sign a tenancy agreement. Rent is usually quoted per year, and landlords often ask for one or more years at the start.

Many estates charge a service charge for security, waste, water or a shared generator, and it can be a large part of the yearly cost. Ask for the figure and what it covers before you inspect.

Choosing an area

Abuja's districts and the satellite towns around them differ a great deal in price and in the daily journey. Visit at the time of day you would travel, and ask about water supply, power, the state of the estate road and how the estate is run.

Fees

Vallo prints no fee rule for the Federal Capital Territory, because it has none it can cite with a source. Agency and legal fees are agreed between you and the agent or landlord, so ask for every figure in writing and add them up before you pay. The move-in calculator at vallospaces.com/move-in-cost adds up whatever you were quoted.

Inspecting

Inspect before you pay anything. Look at the water system, the meter and whose name it is in, the ceilings, the windows and the doors, and ask who handles repairs.

The agreement and paying

Read the tenancy agreement before you pay: the parties, the property, the rent, the period, each fee, how the caution deposit is returned and who repairs what. Pay in a way that leaves a record, get a receipt for every payment, and check who you are dealing with before you send any money.