“Nigeria, Lagos, you win. I am done” — Actress, Lilan Esoro laments over massive rent hike

A Nigerian entrepreneur has sparked reactions online after calling out landlords over what she described as excessive rent increases in Lagos. Sharing her frustration, she revealed that rent on a property in Banana Island had reportedly jumped by 392.31%. 

Actress, Lilan Esoro reacting to this, also lamented that her own business was recently served another increase notice, pushing its rent to ₦50 million.

According to a write up on her instagram story, the situation has become unbearable for many residents and business owners, especially when landlords raise rents without making any improvements to the property.

“Same house you already own, with no renovations done, and you increase the rent just because you can. On what ground?”* she questioned.

She argued that frequent rent hikes force businesses to relocate, shut down, or lay off workers, leaving many people struggling to survive.

Describing the trend as a lack of empathy, she urged landlords to consider the impact of their decisions on tenants and business owners.

“Some landlords really need to do better. Show a little empathy and kindness,” she said.