Abakaliki, Nigeria — The Ebonyi State House of Assembly has enacted a new law to regulate the sale of scraps, house rents, and estate agent fees. The legislation, titled “The Ebonyi State Sale of Scraps, House Rent and Agent Fees Regulation Law, 2026,” aims to prevent exploitation and vandalism.

The bill, passed during a plenary session presided over by Speaker Moses Odunwa, will become law upon receiving approval from Governor Francis Nwifuru. It seeks to control the sale, possession, transportation, and disposal of metal and electrical scraps. The law also intends to standardize house rents and cap excessive agent fees.

Under the new legislation, purchasing, selling, possessing for sale, transporting, or disposing of metal or electrical scraps will be prohibited unless conducted by licensed dealers operating within stipulated regulations. Offenders face imprisonment for up to two years or a fine of up to ₦500,000.

Furthermore, landlords who obtain accommodation through fraudulent means, misrepresentation, or concealment of facts will be subject to penalties. The law also limits estate agents' fees to a maximum of two percent of the gross property transaction amount.

From the commencement of the law, landlords must adhere to standard rents determined by the governor for various accommodation categories. All estate agents operating in the state capital are also required to register with the Ministry of Capital City to enhance transparency and professionalism in property dealings.

Presenting the bill, House Leader Kingsley Ikoro stated that the legislation is crucial for addressing vandalism of critical assets, environmental degradation, and exploitative practices within the housing sector.

Several lawmakers, including Victor Nwoke, Aloysius Nwodo, Oluchukwu Ezeali, Friday Ogbuewu, and Celestine Ogba, supported the bill, describing it as timely and necessary to combat scrap theft and arbitrary rent increases.

Speaker Odunwa remarked that scrap dealers have caused significant societal damage. He expressed confidence that the legislation, once assented to, would promote public safety and restore order to property transactions.

The bill underwent clause-by-clause consideration and was unanimously passed by the House after members corrected grammatical errors.

In other proceedings, the lawmakers approved the state Auditor-General’s report on the consolidated financial statements of the Ebonyi State Government for the year ending December 31, 2025. The report confirmed adherence to accepted accounting principles.

Additionally, the assembly screened and confirmed nine nominees appointed by the governor as coordinators and members of the management committee for the Amasiri Development Centre in the Afikpo Local Government Area. This confirmation followed the reinstatement of the development centre after its prior disbandment by the state government.