Having experienced living in both Owerri and Lagos, one thing that stands out clearly to me is the difference in the cost of renting a house.

In Owerri, renting an apartment is still relatively affordable. You can still find a well-built, new self-contained apartment for about 400,000 naira in a good location. These are not old buildings or poorly maintained houses; many of them are newly built and comfortable to live in.

But when it comes to Lagos, the story is very different. Getting a self-contained room for 400,000 naira in a place like Ikeja that is still decent and comfortable is almost impossible. If you eventually see one, it truly feels like it happened by the grace of God.

The difference becomes even clearer when you compare bigger apartments. In Owerri, with about one million naira, you can still rent a decent two-bedroom apartment in a good location. However, in Lagos, getting a two-bedroom apartment for that price is extremely rare unless you are willing to move to areas that are far from the main city or less developed.

From my experience, I believe the major reason for this difference is the population and demand in Lagos. Lagos is a very busy city where millions of people are constantly moving in for work and business opportunities. Because so many people need accommodation, landlords naturally charge higher prices.

Owerri, on the other hand, is a calmer city with less pressure on housing, which makes rent more affordable.

 Living in both cities has shown me how much location and population can influence the cost of housing.