Nigeria, Nov. 6 -- The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill seeking to prohibit landlords, property managers and estate agents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from demanding more than 12 months' rent upfront as a condition for granting or renewing tenancy agreements.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Paul Nnamchi (APC, Enugu) and Ahmed Doro (PDP, Katsina), also seeks to establish an authority to regulate rental payments and protect tenants against exploitative practices.

The bill, which passed its first reading on October 22, was debated during Wednesday's plenary.

It also seeks to prevent landlords and property managers from evading the proposed restriction through intermediaries, compulsory servi...