In Lagos, you don’t just rent a house — you rent an experience. From shared corridors to compound meetings that never end in peace, Lagos housing comes with a variety of characters that make life unforgettable (or traumatic).

Here are 5 types of tenants you’ll definitely find in every Lagos compound — and if you can’t find them, you just might be the one. Eyes Of Lagos reports,

1. The Landlord’s Niece (aka Madam Authority)

She’s not paying rent, but you’d think she built the house with her bare hands. She knows when you left the gate open, when your girlfriend visits, and she’s always the first to report you during compound meetings.
Even the caretaker greets her with two hands.

✅ Catchphrase: “I will tell Uncle!”

2. The Borrow & Never Return Association (BNRA)

This one will borrow gas, salt, engine oil, even slippers. And somehow, they never return it. If you say no, they’ll form pity or call you “wicked.” If you say yes, kiss your item goodbye.

✅ Catchphrase: “Abeg, just manage me small, na this week salary I dey wait.”

3. The Generator General (aka Noise Factory)

This tenant’s generator can wake the dead. It starts before NEPA goes and only stops when fuel finishes. Worse, they put it near your window. You want peace, but they want light — and in Lagos, light wins.

✅ Catchphrase: “No vex, na small gen, e no dey make noise like before.”
(Lies.)

4. The Invisible Tenant

You only see this person once a month — usually at 11:58pm, dragging Ghana-Must-Go into the house. Nobody knows where they work or how they survive, but rent is always paid on time.
They don’t attend compound meetings. They don’t owe anybody. They are ghosts with a receipt.

✅ Catchphrase: None. They don’t speak.

5. The Speaker of the House

This one thinks the compound is a club. Loud music from sunrise to midnight — from Fuji to Fela to DJ YK. They host parties every Friday, argue on phone outside at 2am, and somehow never get tired.

✅ Catchphrase: “No vex, na my people. We go soon low the volume.”
(Volume never low.)

Final Thoughts:

Living in Lagos isn’t just about rent — it’s about tolerance, drama, and soft survival. Whether you’re on the mainland or island, in a flat or self-con, these characters will always find a way into your life.

So the next time someone knocks and says “abeg, borrow me matches,” remember — you’re not alone. You’re just in Lagos.