Abia Assembly Moves to Sanitize Property Sector, Begins Debate on Real Estate Regulatory Bill 2025

The Abia State House of Assembly has taken a decisive step toward streamlining the real estate and property management industry in the state with the consideration of H.A.B. 34: A Bill for a Law to Establish the Abia State Real Estate Regulatory Commission and for Matters Connected Therewith, otherwise known as the Abia State Real Estate Regulatory Bill, 2025.

The Bill, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Augustine Okezie, was read for the Second Time during plenary on Tuesday at the Assembly Complex, Umuahia.

During the presentation, the Deputy Speaker emphasized that the Bill seeks to restructure and regulate real estate activities across Abia State to ensure transparency, protect investors, and eliminate fraud within the sector. He further explained that the establishment of a Real Estate Regulatory Commission will provide a credible institutional framework for monitoring, licensing, and enforcing professional standards in property dealings.

According to Okezie, the proposed legislation is designed to:

A. Regulate real estate transactions within the state to ensure fairness and compliance with legal procedures.

B. Position Abia State as a safe haven for real estate investment, thereby boosting investor confidence and attracting local and foreign developers.

C. Eliminate fraudulent practices, quackery, and unverified property transactions that have become rampant in the sector.

D. Curb incessant and arbitrary rent increments by landlords and their agents on residential and commercial properties, thus safeguarding tenants from exploitation.

Following deliberations on the floor, the House resolved to commit the Bill to the House Committee on Lands and Housing for further legislative action. 

The Committee was directed to conduct a Public Hearing to allow for stakeholder input and to report back to the House within three (3) weeks for further consideration.

If passed into law, the Abia State Real Estate Regulatory Commission will serve as the legal backbone for ensuring ethical practices, transparency, and stability in the state’s growing real estate industry, reinforcing Governor Alex Otti’s broader agenda of building a sustainable and investor-friendly Abia.