Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has declared his administration’s resolve to end the activities of house and land agents in the state from 2026, citing their role in skyrocketing rents for accommodation and shops.
The governor, in a bold statement, expressed concern over what he described as exploitative practices by agents who charge exorbitant fees — sometimes running into hundreds of thousands of naira — for merely linking prospective tenants to property owners.
“From 2026, I don’t want to see or hear anything about house or land agents in Ebonyi State. These agents are the reason why house rent and shop rent keeps going higher every day. An agent will collect almost half a million just to show someone another person’s property, not even his own. I am here for the good people of Ebonyi State,” Nwifuru said.
He further directed that, beginning next year, no resident seeking accommodation should be compelled to pay any extra charges outside of rent directly to property owners.
The pronouncement, which has sparked mixed reactions across the state, is seen as part of the governor’s broader agenda to ease the cost of living and ensure fairness in the housing sector. While tenants and small business owners have welcomed the development, stakeholders in the real estate business are expected to seek clarification on how the directive will be implemented.
Governor Nwifuru reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting the interests of ordinary citizens, stressing that “all these things need to stop” as he moves to sanitise the property market in Ebonyi State.
