The Ebonyi State House of Assembly has passed a bill seeking to regulate house rents, estate agents’ fees and the buying and selling of scrap materials across the state.
The legislation, titled “Ebonyi State Sale of Scraps, House Rent and Agent Fees Regulation Law, 2026,” was passed during plenary presided over by the Speaker, Moses Odunwa.
The bill, which will take effect upon assent by Governor Francis Nwifuru, is aimed at curbing exploitation in the housing sector, reducing arbitrary rent increases and tackling the vandalism of critical infrastructure through the illegal scrap trade.
Under the proposed law, the purchase, sale, possession for sale, transportation or disposal of metal and electrical scraps would be restricted to licensed dealers operating in line with regulations.
Offenders could face up to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to ₦500,000.
The legislation also seeks to regulate estate agency charges by limiting agents’ fees to not more than two per cent of the gross value of a property transaction.
It further requires estate agents operating in Ebonyi State capital to register with the Ministry of Capital City in order to promote transparency and professionalism in property transactions.
Landlords would also be required to comply with standard rents prescribed by the state government for applicable categories of accommodation.
The bill provides penalties for landlords who fraudulently obtain possession of accommodation through misrepresentation, concealment of material facts or other deceptive practices.
Presenting the bill, the House Leader, Kingsley Ikoro, said the legislation would help tackle vandalism, environmental degradation and exploitative practices in the housing sector.
Several lawmakers, including Victor Nwoke, Aloysius Nwodo, Oluchukwu Ezeali, Friday Ogbuewu and Celestine Ogba, described the bill as timely, particularly in addressing scrap theft and arbitrary rent increases.
Speaker Odunwa also expressed concern over the activities of some scrap dealers, saying the legislation would help promote public safety and restore sanity to property transactions across the state.
The bill was considered clause by clause by the Committee of the Whole, with lawmakers correcting identified grammatical errors before unanimously passing it.
Meanwhile, the Assembly adopted the Auditor-General’s report on the consolidated financial statements of the Ebonyi State Government for the year ended December 31, 2025, noting that the accounts conformed with accepted accounting principles.
The lawmakers also screened and confirmed nine nominees of Governor Nwifuru as coordinators and members of the management committee of the Amasiri Development Centre in Afikpo Local Government Area.
