How to Evict a Tenant in Nigeria (Without Breaking the Law)

When a tenant stops paying rent, damages your property, or overstays their tenancy, your first instinct might be to act fast. Don't. Every shortcut — changing the locks, disconnecting electricity, hiring thugs — is unlawful under Nigerian law (criminally, civilly, or both depending on the act and the state) and will turn your tenant from a debtor into a victim with a winnable counter-suit.

The proper process is longer, but it's the only one that actually delivers an enforceable recovery. Here it is.

Step 1: Send the quit notice

The quit notice starts the clock. It must be in writing, signed by you or your agent, and served on the tenant (by hand, courier, or registered post). It must specify a termination date that aligns with the end of a rent period.

The notice period depends on your state's law and your tenancy type. For a yearly tenant in Lagos, it's six months. For a monthly tenant, it's one month. Getting this wrong means you start over.

Step 2: Serve the 7-day notice

After the quit notice expires and the tenant refuses to leave, serve the prescribed 7-day notice — commonly known as the "Notice of Owner's Intention to Recover Possession." The exact form and title varies by state; in Lagos and other states with adopted versions of the Recovery of Premises framework, a specific statutory form is used. It gives the tenant seven days to vacate.

Again: serve it properly, keep a copy, get proof of delivery.

Step 3: File in court

If the tenant still refuses after seven days, you file a claim for recovery of premises in the appropriate court:

• Magistrate Court if annual rent is below the statutory threshold for that court in your state
• High Court if annual rent is above the threshold, or if the claim involves complex issues of law

Filing fees vary. Expect to pay ₦20,000 to ₦100,000 in court fees plus legal costs. Timelines also vary — uncontested matters can finish in 3 to 6 months, contested matters in 12 to 24 months.

Step 4: The court hearing

The tenant can defend on several grounds: improper notice, landlord's breach of agreement, rent was in fact paid, etc. Your evidence should include:

• The signed tenancy agreement
• Rent payment history (receipts, bank statements)
• Copies of the quit notice and TL1 with proof of service
• Photos of any property damage
• Correspondence showing you gave the tenant opportunities to pay or remedy

Step 5: Execution

If you win, the court issues an order for possession. The sheriff, not you, executes the order. You cannot show up at the property with the judgment and try to force entry — that too is an offence.

What never works (and often backfires)

• Cutting electricity or water. Triggers tenant damages claim. Court rarely rules in your favour afterward.
• Changing locks with their property inside. Criminal trespass and conversion.
• Sending thugs. Assault, intimidation, criminal.
• Removing doors or the roof. Criminal damage.
• Seizing their property for unpaid rent. Without a court order, it's conversion.

Faster alternatives

Many Nigerian landlords settle out of court. A tenant in default may agree to vacate in exchange for waiving arrears, or accept a payment plan that clears within a few months. A lawyer's letter alone often resolves 50% of tenant disputes.

MyTenant's tenant messaging and automated reminders catch defaults early — often before the tenant even realises they've missed a payment. Prevention beats eviction every time.