Senate President Godswill Akpabio
The Nigerian Senate has proposed stricter tenancy regulations that could require landlords to verify prospective tenants' identities, including through the National Identification Number (NIN), as part of efforts to prevent kidnapping, human trafficking and other criminal activities.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio called for the introduction of a new legislative framework, described as a "Know Your Tenant" system, during plenary discussions on 27 October 2026. The proposal would initially target the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, where landlords could face new responsibilities for verifying the identities of people renting their properties
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Akpabio directed Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele to prepare the necessary bill for consideration by the National Assembly, arguing that inadequate tenant identification makes it difficult for security agencies to trace individuals suspected of criminal activities.
The proposal could introduce additional compliance requirements for landlords, estate agents and property managers, while raising questions about personal data protection, implementation costs and access to rental accommodation.
Senate Wants Landlords to Verify Tenants' Identities
The proposal follows concerns raised by lawmakers about property owners renting residential and commercial premises to individuals without obtaining sufficient information about their identities.
Akpabio argued that unidentified occupants could use rented properties as bases for criminal activities, making investigations more difficult when incidents occur.
He proposed adopting an approach similar to the banking sector's Know Your Customer (KYC) framework, which requires financial institutions to establish and verify the identities of their customers.
Under the proposed system, landlords would be expected to obtain verifiable identification details from prospective tenants before granting occupancy.
The Senate President also suggested that the requirements could cover people renting shops and other commercial premises, rather than being restricted to residential properties.
Although NIN verification has featured prominently in discussions surrounding the proposal, other recognised identification documents, including driver's licences and international passports, have also been mentioned.
The final legislation would need to specify the acceptable identification documents, verification procedures and records landlords would be required to maintain.
Short-Let Apartments Could Face Tighter Regulation
The proposed reforms could also extend to short-let apartments, which have become an increasingly visible part of Nigeria's accommodation and property-management market.
Unlike conventional residential tenancies, short-let arrangements often involve temporary occupants staying for a few days or weeks. The Senate has raised concerns that inadequate identity checks in such arrangements could create opportunities for criminals to operate without being easily traced.
Lawmakers therefore called for stronger regulation of short-let properties and more effective identity verification procedures.
If the proposal eventually covers this segment, short-let operators and property managers could face additional responsibilities for collecting and verifying guest information.
This could require changes to booking procedures, guest registration, record management and cooperation with authorised security agencies.
However, the precise scope of the proposed regulation remains unclear. The Senate has not yet established the specific requirements that would apply to short-let operators or how the rules would be enforced.
Landlords and Property Managers Could Face New Compliance Responsibilities
The proposed "Know Your Tenant" framework could change how landlords and property professionals manage rental transactions.
Under the proposed arrangement, property owners may need to verify identification documents, maintain accurate tenant records and establish procedures for handling requests from authorised security agencies.
Estate agents and property managers could also face additional responsibilities where they facilitate rental agreements or manage properties on behalf of landlords.
For organised property-management companies, these requirements could necessitate improved documentation systems and formal tenant onboarding procedures.
Individual landlords who currently rely on informal rental arrangements may also need to adopt more structured processes if the proposal becomes law.
The requirements could improve accountability across the rental market, particularly where properties are occupied by individuals whose identities are difficult to establish. However, the eventual compliance burden would depend on how extensively the legislation applies to different categories of landlords and property operators.
Proposed Identity Checks Raise Data Privacy Concerns
While stronger tenant identification could support security investigations, collecting and retaining personal information creates additional responsibilities for property owners.
The proposed framework raises questions about how landlords would store tenants' NIN details, who would have access to the information and under what circumstances records could be shared with security agencies.
The Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 establishes requirements for the lawful collection, processing, storage and disclosure of personal information.
Any legislation introducing compulsory tenant verification would therefore need to provide safeguards against unauthorised access, data breaches and misuse of personal information.
Landlords and property managers would also need clear guidance on whether they could retain copies of identification documents, how long records should be stored and how tenants could exercise their data protection rights.
Without appropriate safeguards, a system intended to improve security could expose tenants to identity theft, privacy violations and discriminatory rental practices.
Could the Proposal Affect Access to Rental Accommodation?
The introduction of mandatory identity verification could improve transparency in rental transactions, but its implementation may also create difficulties for some prospective tenants.
Individuals who have challenges obtaining or replacing identification documents could face additional obstacles when seeking accommodation.
The legislation would therefore need to establish acceptable alternative identification arrangements and ensure that landlords do not use verification requirements to unfairly deny accommodation to legitimate applicants.
There is also a need to distinguish between reasonable identity checks and intrusive screening practices that could discriminate against tenants based on their personal circumstances.
For Nigeria's rental market, the effectiveness of the proposal will depend on whether the government can balance security requirements with tenants' rights and the need to maintain access to accommodation.
Senate Links Proposal to Wider Anti-Trafficking Measures
The proposed tenancy reforms emerged during Senate deliberations on protecting Nigerians from human trafficking, slavery and other human rights abuses, particularly cases involving the exploitation of Nigerians in Libya.
Lawmakers called for stronger investigations into suspected trafficking networks and urged relevant agencies, including the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to strengthen their cooperation.
The Senate also called for increased funding for NAPTIP and the establishment of a National Reintegration and Protection Programme to support returning trafficking victims and other vulnerable Nigerians.
The tenancy proposal forms part of this broader security response, with lawmakers seeking to improve the availability of information that could help investigators identify people connected to criminal activities.
However, identity verification alone cannot prevent kidnapping or human trafficking. Its effectiveness would depend on accurate records, proper enforcement, inter-agency cooperation and the ability of security institutions to act on credible information.
Proposed Tenancy Law Still Requires Legislative Approval
Despite the Senate's call for stricter tenant identification, the proposed "Know Your Tenant" framework has not become law.
Akpabio directed the Senate Leader to prepare the necessary legislation, with the initial proposal focusing on the FCT. The draft would still need to undergo the legislative process, including consideration and approval by the National Assembly, before it could become enforceable.
The final provisions would determine whether NIN verification becomes compulsory, which alternative identification documents would be accepted, whether short-let and commercial properties would be covered and what obligations landlords and property managers would face.
It also remains unclear whether similar requirements would eventually apply across other states.
For Nigeria's property market, the proposal signals growing interest in formalising rental transactions and strengthening accountability among property owners and occupants. Its eventual impact will depend on the balance lawmakers strike between security, privacy, regulatory compliance and tenants' access to accommodation.
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