To start a holiday let in Nigeria, you need a furnished home you are allowed to let by the night, in an area guests want. Then you set a price, list the home where guests search, and look after each guest from check-in to check-out. In Nigeria, most people call this a shortlet.
This guide is for anyone who has seen hosting abroad and wants to try it at home. It covers the words, the steps, where to list, how to get paid safely in naira, what to check first and a plan for your first 30 days.
What “starting a holiday let” means in Nigeria
People use many words for the same thing. Holiday let, vacation rental, holiday home, short-term rental and shortlet all mean a furnished home that guests rent by the night, the week or the month.
In Nigeria, “shortlet” is the word people type into search. So use it in your listing, even if you think of your home as a holiday let. Shortlet vs vacation rental explains all the words.
A holiday let is a small hospitality business, not a yearly let. Three things change:
- You sell nights, not years. Nobody pays a year up front. Each booking pays for a few nights, and some nights stay empty.
- You host people. Guests need clean linen, power, water and a quick answer when something breaks.
- You handle more money. Night prices, cleaning fees, deposits and refunds all need clear rules.
If you are still deciding whether hosting is right for your home, read can I turn my flat into a shortlet? first.
The steps to start
Work through these in order. Each step makes the next one easier.
- Check that you are allowed. If you rent the home, get the landlord’s written permission to let it by the night. Ask your estate or building about its rules for short-stay guests.
- Pick the home and the guest. Decide who will stay: business visitors, families, couples or people home for the holidays. Choose a home in an area those guests search for.
- Get the basics right. Good beds, cool rooms, steady power, running water, working Wi-Fi, a clean kitchen, strong locks and a first-aid kit.
- Write your rules and check-in steps. Write short house rules, clear directions and how guests will get the keys. Keep them ready to send.
- Set your prices and terms. Set a night price, a cleaning fee if you charge one, a refundable caution deposit, and the latest time a guest can cancel for a full refund.
- Take photos and write the listing. Bright photos of every room, the entrance and the view. A plain description that says what is included and what is not.
- List where guests search. Put the home on property sites where people look by area, and share it with people who already know you.
- Prepare for your first guest. Line up a cleaner, spare linen and supplies, and a way to take payment safely before you hand over any key.
Before you buy anything, price every item on the shortlet startup cost checklist. Then write your rules from the house rules template, and set your deposit with how much caution fee to charge.
Where to list your home
Guests in Nigeria search by area. They type “shortlet in Lekki” or “shortlet in Wuse 2”, then compare photos and prices. So be where those searches land:
- Property sites where people look for a shortlet by area.
- Your own network. Friends, family, colleagues, and your church or mosque groups.
- WhatsApp and social media. Short videos of every room work well. Follow each group’s rules.
- People who send guests. Event planners, HR teams and travel agents often need homes at short notice.
Our guide on how to advertise a shortlet apartment covers each channel in detail.
Before you set your price, see what similar homes offer. Browse shortlets in Lekki, Ikeja or Abuja, and note the size, the power and what is included.
Wherever you list, a good listing answers a guest’s questions before they ask:
- A plain title with the area and the size, such as “2-bedroom shortlet in Lekki Phase 1”.
- Photos of every room, taken in daylight, plus the entrance, the kitchen and the bathroom.
- The power story: how many hours of light, and what backs it up.
- What is included: Wi-Fi, TV, cleaning during the stay, parking, drinking water.
- The full price: the night price, the cleaning fee and the caution deposit.
- Your key rules: the most guests allowed, parties, smoking and visitors.
When you are ready, list your home as a shortlet on Cabans. Add clear photos, your night price and your house rules.
On Cabans you can also take bookings online. Tick “Take bookings online” on your Short Let listing. Guests then pick dates on your calendar, see the full price and pay. You choose whether paid bookings are confirmed straight away (“Instant book”) or whether you accept each request yourself.
See how taking bookings online works, then follow how to make your short let bookable. The free Host Academy starts with how a booking works, start to finish.
Getting paid in naira
Money is where new hosts get hurt most. Protect yourself with a few firm habits:
- Agree the full price in writing before the guest pays: nights, cleaning fee, caution deposit and cancellation terms.
- Check your bank app, not a text message. A message that looks like a bank alert is not money. Screenshots can be faked.
- No key before cleared payment. Hand over keys only when the money is really in your account.
- Give a receipt for every payment, including the caution deposit.
- Keep records. Write down every naira in and out. You need them for tax and for your own planning.
Guests from abroad may ask to pay in another currency. Keep it simple: quote in naira, and make sure you know exactly what lands in your account.
Getting paid for bookings on Cabans
- Guests pay online through Paystack when they book, in naira. They pay Paystack’s processing fee on top, and they see it before they pay.
- Cabans charges hosts a 5% commission on bookings.
- You are paid within 7 days after the stay, and sooner when the guest approves the payment after their trip.
- If a booking is declined or cancelled, the Cabans team sends the guest’s refund. You never refund guests yourself.
Rules and registration: what to check
Check these before your first guest. We cannot give legal or tax advice, and rules differ from state to state, so treat this as a list of questions to ask.
- Your landlord. Renting the home? Get written permission to let it by the night.
- Your estate or building. Ask how it handles short-stay guests, visitors, parking and noise. Some estates do not allow short stays at all.
- Your business name. Trading under a name? Register it with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
- Tax. Income from lettings is taxable. Rental income tax in Nigeria explains the basics. Ask your state’s revenue service whether any tax on short stays applies to you.
- Safety. A fire extinguisher, a smoke alarm, a first-aid kit and working locks are the least a guest should find.
Your first 30 days
The first month is for learning. Keep it small and fix things fast.
- Week 1: a practice stay. Invite a friend or relative for a night or two. Ask them to note everything that did not work.
- Week 2: fix and polish. Fix what they found. Retake any weak photos. Write clear check-in steps.
- Week 3: go live. Share the listing with your network. Reply to every enquiry quickly, even at odd hours.
- Week 4: check the numbers. Count the nights sold, the money in and the costs. Change your price if the sums do not work.
After each stay, ask yourself three questions:
- What did the guest ask me that my listing should have answered?
- What broke, ran out or went wrong?
- What would I change before the next guest?
For the bigger picture, from choosing an area to running week to week, read how to start a shortlet business in Nigeria. Hosting in Lagos? See starting a shortlet business in Lagos.
Ready for guests? Put your holiday let on Cabans, and see how other homes present themselves on the shortlet page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need permission to run a holiday let in Nigeria?
If you rent the home, you need your landlord’s written permission, because many tenancy agreements do not allow subletting. Your estate or building may also have rules for short-stay guests. Rules on taxes for short stays are set by each state, so ask your state’s revenue service. This guide is not legal or tax advice.
Is a holiday let the same as a shortlet?
Yes. Holiday let, vacation rental, holiday home and shortlet all mean a furnished home that guests rent by the night, the week or the month. In Nigeria most people search for “shortlet”, so use that word in your listing.
Can I start a holiday let from a flat I rent?
Only with the landlord’s written permission. Without it you risk losing the flat. If you have permission, remember you still owe the yearly rent even when nights stay empty, so check the sums carefully first.
Where should I list my holiday let?
Where guests in Nigeria search: property sites that let people look by area, plus your own network on WhatsApp and social media. Clear photos, a fair price and fast replies matter more than the number of places you list.
Do I need to register a business?
If you trade under a business name, register that name with the Corporate Affairs Commission. You also need to keep records of your income for tax. Ask an accountant or your state’s revenue service what applies to you.
How do I get paid for bookings on Cabans?
Guests pay online through Paystack when they book, and they pay Paystack’s processing fee on top. Cabans charges hosts a 5% commission. You are paid within 7 days after the stay, and sooner when the guest approves the payment after their trip.
Related guides
Start a shortlet business · Shortlet startup costs · House rules template · Turn your flat into a shortlet · How to list a short let · Become a shortlet agent
Take the next step
Keep your research practical: search for property in Lagos, compare live options for properties in Lagos, or list your property on Cabans to reach active buyers and renters.
Not ready yet? Get an email when new listings go up in Lagos.