I spent three weeks going shop to shop in Wuse Market this year, and I want to save the next person some stress because what agents quote you first is almost never what you end up paying.

For a small shop, the kind that's maybe 6 by 8 feet, no AC, you're looking at ₦450,000 to ₦600,000 a year, paid upfront. Don't be

surprised if an agent opens at ₦800,000.

That's normal. Negotiate

landlords expect it, and

nobody actually pays the first number.

Go up to a medium shop, around 10 by 12 feet, and you're in the ₦900,000 to ₦1.3 million range. Here's the thing though size isn't what drives the price up most. Position is. A small shop right by the main entrance will beat out a bigger one buried in a back row every time.

Now, the part that catches people off guard: the rent isn't the whole bill. There's an agent fee, usually 10% of the annual rent, paid once. There's a caution fee, which is

typically a full year's rent again, and yes, it's supposedly refundable, but don't count on getting all of it back. Then there's a service charge, somewhere between ₦15,000 and ₦30,000 a month,

covering cleaning, security, and generator fuel. And don't forget the market association's signage fee, usually ₦20,000 to ₦50,000, if you want your shop branded properly.

One thing I'd tell anyone going through this: if an agent gives you a price and doesn't

mention a service charge, ask. It's almost never included

upfront, and it has a way of showing up as an unpleasant surprise in month two.

Frozen Food Insight Lagos/Ikola

Froze Food Weekly Summary

Happening Now (Lagos/Ikola)

How to Write Descriptions That Sell

What it really costs to rent a shop in Wuse Market

Frozen Food Insight Lagos/Ikola

Froze Food Weekly Summary

Happening Now (Lagos/Ikola)

How to Write Descriptions That Sell

What it really costs to rent a shop in Wuse Market