One Year Upfront, Please
- FemmeChi
- Aug 28
- 5 min read
Luxury or Nah?
The first Lagos apartment I ever viewed was advertised as “luxury.” I walked in ready to see sleek finishes and modern design, only to be greeted by… a gutted kitchen and about thirty dead roaches spread across the floor like they were auditioning for a spa commercial.
I tiptoed around them creepy crawlers, trying not to scream, while thinking, Is this their idea of luxury?
In my head, it was already a hard NO. But because of the location, Victoria Island, right off Ozumba Mbadiwe in the popular 1004 "expat" complex, I decided to keep an open mind. I had stayed in an Airbnb in the same building during an earlier visit to Lagos, and that flat was stunning. The host was an interior designer who lived there, so maybe my expectations were too high.
Still, what I saw that day looked nothing like the pictures the agent sent me, except for one thing: the waterfront view.
Agent Madness
I decided to test the waters with a few questions:
Me: “Can they fix this kitchen? It looks absolutely horrible.”
Agent: “Yes, once you pay the deposit, they will fix it.” Side eye.
Me: “And the roaches… this looks like an infestation?”
Agent: “Ah no ooo, they just fumigated.”
At that point, I stopped asking. His answers were weak, and his body language screamed I’m lying.
I insisted we move on. But the second apartment? Even worse. Imagine a tornado sweeping through and the landlord just leaving everything exactly where it fell. Outdated fixtures, broken cupboards, chaos everywhere.
Both were priced at 7 million naira (back in 2019), plus the infamous “one year upfront” rule, along with service charges, legal fees, and agency fees. I politely told the agent I’d get back to him, but honestly, I was disgusted. That didn’t stop him from blowing up my phone every single day with lines like: “The unit will go soon!” or “The landlord is about to increase the price!”
I stopped answering because, honestly, why pressure me to pay quickly for rubbish?
I left Lagos and went back to Paris (shall I write about france too?)....
House Hunting Is a Sport
Later, after venting to a few Lagos friends, I learned that my experience was normal. House hunting in Lagos is practically a sport, and agents are… well, agents.
People warned me about horror stories such as money disappearing, agents vanishing, or flats looking nothing like what was advertised. Basically, it’s a game of resilience, sharp eyes, and plenty of patience.
Clearly, the agent route was a dead end. So, I turned to something more reliable: my network.
Women Supporting Women
I remembered how many of my friends who grew up in America had also moved to Nigeria at some point or were currently living in Lagos. So I quickly made a mental list of people I could reach out to. I started dropping the line, “Hey, do you know anyone renting out their place here in Lagos?”
Most people said they’d get back to me… and of course, they never did.
Upon returning to Lagos a few months later, one evening, I went out to dinner with my beautiful friend Adanna. She had also moved back and was learning to navigate the Nigerian terrain. We discussed her move back, lessons learned, advice, and all. I then asked her the same question so she would know I was looking for a flat. Without hesitation, she said:
“Ahhhh, my friend Nneka is renting somewhere central, and she told me the flat below her is empty. But because the landlord lives there, they’re being extra careful. They’d rather keep it empty than bring wahala to their compound.”
I lit up. “Oh nice! I’d love to see it. Can you introduce me to Nneka?” She wasted no time. That same evening, she introduced us.
Women supporting women! I love it.
A Soft Landing ..... "As Nneka would say"
Nneka confirmed the flat was indeed empty. We agreed that I would temporarily move out of the expensive hotel I’d been staying in and rent one of the rooms in her three-bedroom flat. This way, I could settle in, get a feel for the compound, and also meet the landlord and his agent.
Honestly, it felt like the soft landing I had been praying for.
And it worked out better than I could have imagined. The conversation with the landlord went extremely smoothly. Because I came through Nneka, he waived the 10% agency fee (you should have seen the agent’s face… he was fuming. I thought his head might actually explode).
The contract was straightforward: one year upfront required.
One Year Upfront, Please
Now, I always knew paying rent upfront was “a Nigerian thing.” I’d even heard it used to be two years at a time. But even one year felt like a lot — especially since I didn’t even have a job in Nigeria yet.
I had literally moved with nothing lined up, just a dream to integrate into my culture. Still, I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by. I had already seen the horror flats and dealt with pushy agents. This was different. This was it.
There was only one problem: I didn’t have the money in my account y'all.
So what did I do? I reached into my 401k. I know, I know… double taxation if you touch it before retirement age! But in that moment, I couldn’t think about penalties. This was about building the life I had always dreamed of.
So, no wahala! I made the transfer, signed the agreement, and collected my keys.
New Beginnings: Lagos
You know that feeling when you spend a lot of money and instantly regret it? Funny enough, I didn’t. I was so proud of myself. I had finally done it. I moved to a whole Nigeria. On my own! Wow!
This was something I had dreamed of as a kid, since my late dad lived in Nigeria and not with us in the U.S. And now here I was, standing in my own Lagos apartment.
This was just the beginning of my journey in Lagos — and trust me, the adventure was only getting started.
In Lagos, the rent isn’t just the price you pay; it’s the terms you agree to. I always say, read, ask, and negotiate like your sanity depends on it… because it does. In my next post, I’ll be unpacking the contract side of renting, plus other tips to keep in mind when renting in Lagos, especially as a woman. It’s FemmeChi, darling 🎀