An advance-rent and tenant-protection bill for Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory has been introduced in the House of Representatives and passed its first reading, the National Assembly Library Trust Fund reported on 23 October.

The measure, HB 2839, is sponsored by Paul Nnamchi and is titled the Federal Capital Territory Advance Rent Regulation and Tenants’ Protection Bill, 2026. The official account says it seeks a framework for residential and commercial rental practices in Abuja and surrounding urban centres in the territory.

Its stated aims include curbing excessive demands for rent in advance, protecting tenants against arbitrary increases and making tenancy agreements more consistent. These are the objectives of a proposed law. The announcement does not specify a permitted number of months of advance rent, a rent-increase formula, penalties or an implementation date.

First reading marks the bill’s introduction, rather than enactment or a finding that any landlord has broken the law. The source provides no final legislative text or independent assessment of likely housing-market effects. Because its report does not establish an unambiguous separate sitting date, the event is recorded at month level; 23 October is the source publication date.