Four candidates contesting the 2027 Lagos State governorship election have presented contrasting plans to address the state’s housing challenges, with proposals ranging from the construction of 150,000 affordable homes to mortgage reforms and stronger protection for tenants.
The candidates, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Obafemi Hamzat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Funso Doherty of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and Deji Doherty of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), outlined their proposals during a governorship debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
Their positions reflect different approaches to a housing market where rising rents, high property prices and inadequate supply continue to make decent accommodation difficult for many Lagos residents.
Rhodes-Vivour proposed delivering more than 100,000 housing units within his first four years in office, with priority given to ordinary residents and low-income earners.
According to reports by Channels Television and TheCable on November 8 and 9, the ADC candidate said the programme would introduce a transparent allocation system to prevent individuals from acquiring multiple properties under the scheme.
He also outlined a housing progression model that would allow young graduates to begin with self-contained apartments before moving into larger accommodation as their income and family circumstances change.
Under the proposed arrangement, beneficiaries could progress from self-contained apartments to two-bedroom and eventually three-bedroom homes, accumulating housing credits or points that could later contribute towards mortgage ownership.
Rhodes-Vivour also proposed using luxury taxation to finance social housing and introducing legislation to protect tenants against arbitrary rent increases.
He suggested that landlords should give tenants at least six months’ notice before increasing rents, with proposed increases guided by a range of 20 to 30 per cent.
Hamzat, meanwhile, is emphasising mortgage financing, the completion of existing projects and stronger enforcement of rental regulations.
The APC candidate proposed a mortgage arrangement requiring prospective homeowners to make a 10 per cent initial payment and spread the remaining balance over 25 years.
He said the financing structure would make homeownership more accessible to residents who cannot afford to purchase properties through outright payments.
Hamzat also cited the delivery of 18,000 housing units across 24 housing estates over the past eight years under the outgoing administration, according to reports by The PUNCH and Vanguard on November 9, 2026.
He pledged to enforce the existing restriction on landlords demanding more than one year’s rent in advance, urging tenants to report violations to the authorities.
The restriction is provided under Section 4 of the Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011. Hamzat said enforcement would be necessary to ensure that residents were not compelled to pay two or three years’ rent upfront.
The NDC candidate, Funso Doherty, is advocating a more direct government role in housing provision, arguing that private developers alone cannot deliver the volume of affordable accommodation required by Lagos.
He promised to deliver approximately 150,000 affordable housing units during his first term if elected, making it the largest numerical construction target among the four candidates.
Doherty also proposed establishing a housing ombudsman’s office to address complaints involving landlords, estate agents and other property-market operators.
During the debate, he described arbitrary rent increases as a form of racketeering, arguing that inadequate housing supply was a major factor driving accommodation costs across the state.
Vanguard reported on November 8, 2026, that the NDC candidate believed government needed to become the primary driver of social housing rather than leave the responsibility largely to private developers.
Deji Doherty of the PDP presented a different approach, proposing that the Lagos State Government should become a direct provider of affordable rental accommodation.
He suggested that the government could rent properties from landlords and make them available to residents at affordable rates, creating a public alternative to the private rental market.
He also advocated long-term leases and more low-cost housing, questioning how residents earning about ₦120,000 monthly could afford accommodation in Lagos.
In addition, Doherty called for research into cheaper building materials and construction methods to reduce the cost of delivering affordable homes.
The competing proposals highlight the scale of the housing challenge facing Lagos and the different policy choices confronting voters ahead of the 2027 election.
While Rhodes-Vivour and Funso Doherty are prioritising large-scale housing delivery and stronger social intervention, Hamzat is proposing expanded mortgage access and enforcement of existing regulations. Deji Doherty, meanwhile, wants government to participate more directly in the rental market.
Ultimately, the effectiveness of these proposals will depend not only on the number of houses promised but also on their affordability, financing, location, infrastructure and accessibility to residents who need them most.
