Short lets in Nigeria — Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan — attract a consistent stream of business travellers, diaspora visitors, and guests who prefer furnished apartments over hotels. If you own a furnished apartment or are ready to furnish one, listing it as a short let is one of the fastest ways to generate rental income. This guide walks you through every step.
1. Prepare your apartment
Before you list, the apartment needs to be guest-ready. This means:
- Full furnishing — living room, bedroom(s), kitchen, and bathroom. Guests expect a functioning space from day one.
- Reliable generator — this is the single most common guest complaint in Nigerian short lets. Confirm your generator is serviced and diesel arrangements are clear.
- WiFi — essential for most guest segments, particularly business travellers and remote workers in cities like Lagos and Abuja.
- Air conditioning — standard expectation in virtually every Nigerian market.
- Deep clean — a professional clean before photos and before every guest arrival.
Properties with reliable power, good WiFi, and clean presentation consistently outperform the competition regardless of location.
2. Take quality photos
Your photos determine whether a guest shortlists your apartment or scrolls past it. Every room needs its own photo: living room, each bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and any outdoor space.
Use natural daylight where possible — open curtains and blinds before shooting. Avoid cluttered surfaces. A clean, well-lit kitchen photo does more work than any description.
Listings with 8 or more photos receive significantly more enquiries than those with 3–4. Take more than you think you need and choose the strongest set.
3. Set a competitive rate
Research what comparable apartments in your area charge per night and per month. In Lagos, rates vary significantly by location:
- Ikoyi, Victoria Island — ₦60,000–₦200,000+ per night for 1–2 bedroom furnished apartments
- Lekki Phase 1 — ₦35,000–₦120,000 per night
- Ikeja, Gbagada, Yaba — ₦15,000–₦50,000 per night
- Abuja (Maitama, Wuse 2) — ₦25,000–₦100,000 per night
Set separate nightly and monthly rates. Monthly stays attract long-term occupancy — often more valuable than high nightly rates with gaps between guests.
Be transparent about what is included: generator diesel, WiFi, water, housekeeping frequency. Listings that are clear about inclusions convert at higher rates because guests can self-qualify.
4. List on Cabans
Creating a listing on Cabans is free. The process takes under 10 minutes:
- Create your property owner account at cabans.ng/list-your-property
- Select Short Let as the listing type
- Enter your location, room count, and all amenity details (generator, WiFi, AC, parking, kitchen, number of beds)
- Set your nightly, weekly, and monthly rates
- Upload your photos
- Submit for review — listings typically go live within a few hours
Cabans is searched by guests across Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, and all Nigerian cities. Your listing appears in location-specific search results — for example, guests searching for short lets in Lekki or short lets in Ikoyi will find your property.
5. Respond to enquiries quickly
Response time is one of the strongest predictors of booking conversion. Guests send multiple enquiries across multiple platforms simultaneously — the host who responds clearly within a few hours typically wins the booking.
Your response should confirm: availability for the requested dates, nightly or monthly rate, what is included (diesel, housekeeping, WiFi), check-in process, and any house rules.
Avoid vague initial responses. A complete first message eliminates the back-and-forth that loses bookings.
6. Manage the guest experience
Repeat bookings and word-of-mouth referrals are the most efficient source of occupancy for established short let hosts. Guests who have a reliable, well-maintained stay tend to return and recommend the property to colleagues and friends visiting the same city.
The basics that prevent poor reviews: functioning generator on arrival, clean apartment, all listed amenities working, clear check-in instructions, and a responsive contact during the stay.
Which areas have the strongest short let demand?
Short let demand is highest in:
- Lekki — Lagos' highest-volume short let market
- Ikoyi — premium corporate and executive stays
- Victoria Island — year-round corporate demand
- Ikeja — airport corridor, strong business traveller demand
- Yaba — growing tech ecosystem visitor segment
- Abuja — government, conference, and corporate demand
Ready to list your short let? Visit our short let listing guide or go straight to list your property on Cabans.
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Keep your research practical: search for property in Abuja, compare live options for flat for rent in Abuja, or list your property on Cabans to reach active buyers and renters.