Face-me-I-face-you is the Nigerian name for a tenement building with single rooms on both sides of a central corridor, so each door faces the one opposite. The households in it share the toilets, bathrooms and kitchen. It is one of the most common forms of low-cost housing in older parts of Lagos and other Nigerian cities. This guide explains how these buildings work, who they suit, and what to check before you rent a room in one.
How a face-me-I-face-you building is laid out
- A central corridor runs from the front door to the back of the building.
- Rooms on both sides, each with its own door onto the corridor, facing the room opposite.
- Shared facilities at the back or in the yard: toilets, bathrooms and a cooking area.
- One or more floors, often with the same layout repeated upstairs.
- The landlord sometimes lives in the building, or a caretaker collects the rent.
A tenant usually rents one room. Some rent two connected rooms, used as a bedroom and a sitting room: a room and parlour. Either way, the kitchen and bathroom stay shared.
Where you find them
Face-me-I-face-you buildings are typical of older, dense mainland neighbourhoods in Lagos, such as parts of Mushin, Surulere, Yaba, Ebute Metta, Agege, Ajegunle and Ikorodu, and of the older cores of Ibadan, Abeokuta, Benin City, Port Harcourt and other cities. They were built to house many workers close to markets, ports and factories, and many are still in use.
Who it suits, and the trade-offs
| What you gain | What you give up |
|---|---|
| The lowest rent for a room of your own | A private toilet, bathroom and kitchen |
| A central location close to work and markets | Quiet and privacy; the corridor is busy |
| Lower move-in costs than a flat | Control over cleanliness of shared areas |
| Neighbours who look out for each other | Queues for the bathroom at busy times |
Students, people new to a city and workers saving towards a self contain or a mini flat often start in a face-me-I-face-you room.
What to check before you rent a room
- How many share. Count the rooms, and ask how many toilets and bathrooms serve them.
- Water. Is there a borehole or well, a tank, or do tenants buy water? Who pays for the pump?
- Electricity. Does each room have its own meter, or is one meter shared and the bill split? Ask how the split is worked out.
- House rules. Cleaning rotas, visitors, cooking times, noise and the gate closing time.
- Security. A lockable front door and gate, and a secure door and window for your own room.
- Flooding and drainage. Look at the yard and the street after rain if you can. Older areas can flood.
- Who you pay. Confirm the landlord's name, and that the caretaker or agent may collect rent for them.
Your rights are the same as in a flat
Renting a room is a tenancy. Get a written agreement and a receipt for every payment, naming the room. The landlord must give proper notice to end the tenancy and may not lock you out or remove your things without a court order. See tenant rights in Nigeria, tenancy agreements and what a rent receipt must contain.
Moving up from a room
When you are ready for your own bathroom and kitchen, compare a self contain with a mini flat. On Cabans you can search self contains for rent and mini flats for rent, and message the landlord, owner or agent on each listing directly.
Frequently asked questions
What does face-me-I-face-you mean?
Face-me-I-face-you is the Nigerian name for a tenement building with a central corridor and single rooms on both sides, so each door faces the door opposite. Tenants rent a room, or a room and parlour, and share the toilets, bathrooms and kitchen with the other households in the building.
Why is it called face-me-I-face-you?
Because the doors of the rooms face each other across the corridor. When neighbours open their doors they are face to face, and daily life such as cooking, washing and talking happens in the shared passage.
Is face-me-I-face-you the same as a self contain?
No. A self contain has its own private toilet and bathroom inside the unit. In a face-me-I-face-you building the toilets and bathrooms are shared by everyone on the floor or in the building.
Do tenancy laws apply to a face-me-I-face-you room?
Yes. Renting a room is still a tenancy. You are entitled to a receipt for each payment, the landlord must give proper notice to end the tenancy, and in Lagos the Tenancy Law applies to rooms as it does to flats.
Related guides
Room and parlour vs mini flat · Self contain in Nigeria · Tenant rights in Nigeria · BQ meaning
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