‘We can’t afford to marry’, Sokoto residents lament over soaring rent

Sokoto State, long known for its deeply rooted Islamic traditions and strong family values, is now grappling with an unprecedented housing crisis that residents say is driving up the cost of rent, delaying marriages, and pushing young people toward moral and economic vulnerability.

For months, social media has been flooded with pleas from young women calling on authorities to intervene, lamenting that they wish to marry but their suitors cannot afford accommodation.

In a state where nearly 99% of the population is Muslim, the rising cost of housing has become an unexpected barrier to begin family life.

Tradition under threat

In Sokoto’s cultural tradition, many young men do not marry until they have built their own homes. But with skyrocketing prices of land and building materials, that long-held custom is fast disappearing.

A young woman, who chose to remain anonymous, recently took to social media to warn state leaders and influential citizens that the situation could expose many young women to immorality. “We want to marry, but our men simply cannot afford rent,” she lamented.

Speaking to Daily Trust, an estate agent Alhaji Murtala Falke said that even the cheapest accommodations have become unaffordable.

“A single room with running water now costs N300,000, while a self-contained unit goes for N400,000 and above. A two-bedroom flat costs between N1.5 million and N2 million annually,” he said

He revealed that dome houses have remained unoccupied for nearly a decade because their owners insist on collecting N3 million per year. “I have almost 50 clients—most of them grooms-to-be—waiting for houses, but there is simply nothing available,” he said.

“Our wealthy people lack compassion,” Falke added. “In states like Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara, houses are far more affordable. But here, our rich people refuse to help. They forget that easing someone’s access to shelter brings divine blessings.

The Director General of the Sokoto Hisbah Commission, Malam Nura Attahiru, said he has two children ready for marriage but has been unable to secure accommodation for them.

“I paid N1.3 million for one house and N1.4 million for another, despite the repairs needed. But ten days later, the landlords returned my money and cancelled the agreements,” he recounted.

Similarly, businessman Malam Abubakar Ibrahim said a friend of his, who is due to marry soon, struggled for weeks before finding a flat at N1m and still has not been able to complete payment.

Why houses are scarce, expensive

According to another estate agent, Alhaji Ahmed Falke, the crisis stems from several factors, noting that wealthy investors “prefer building plazas, fuel stations, and commercial shops,” adidng that “Most landlords today are civil servants who hope to live off rental income after retirement.”

“Secondly, building materials have become prohibitively expensive. A bag of cement now costs about N9,000, up from less than N3,000. A tipper of sand that previously sold for N50,000 now costs N150,000. Daily wages for builders have risen to N12,000, while laborers receive N4,000 a day.

“From 2014 to now, we haven’t received a single newly built rental house,” Falke said. “We used to get 30 to 35 new houses every year. Today, there are none

“Also, plots that cost N2–3 million last year now sell for N12 million and above. Even plots allocated at the Millennium City project now cost over N10 million, largely controlled by politicians who own multiple properties.

Impact on families

Residents say the situation has forced many families to downsize. Some leave their self-contained apartments for single rooms, while others move their families to villages due to financial strain.

“It is now almost impossible to find a two-bedroom apartment below N500,000 unless it is in very poor condition,” Ahmed Falke said.

Something should be done urgently

Islamic scholar Sheikh Isa Talatan Mafara called on both state and federal governments to prioritise affordable housing for low-income earners and junior civil servants. He also stressed the need to create employment opportunities for young people, noting that inability to marry can affect the moral fabric of society.

Malam Attajiri urged the government to regulate rent prices and scrutinise the activities of estate agents, whom he accused of contributing to price inflation.

The Hisbah Commission says it plans to summon landlords and agents for dialogue to find ways of reducing the burden on residents.

Govt react

The Sokoto State Government is currently constructing 1,000 housing units in Wajjake and the new Millennium City in Wamakko Local Government Area. It has also purchased 136 houses from federal housing units in Dange-Shuni and commissioned the completion of 500 units initiated more than a decade ago under former governor Aliyu Wamakko.

Governor Ahmed Aliyu said the houses will be allocated to junior civil servants, low-income earners, and small-scale traders through easy payment plans.

At the federal level, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is constructing 250 houses in Dange-Shuni under the Renewed Hope Agenda, to be sold at subsidised rates.

Residents, however, are calling on both governments to ensure transparency and fairness during allocation so that political elites do not corner the houses.

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