Living in a Shared Apartment in Abuja: Lessons I Didn’t Expect

Living with strangers in Abuja seemed like a smart way to save money; split rent, share utilities, and maybe even make a friend or two — but what nobody warned me about was the emotional toll of fighting for fridge space, silence, and the last bucket of water at 6am.

In Abuja, sharing an apartment might save you money — but it will also stretch your spirit, sharpen your tolerance, and teach you how to choose peace over petty.

Simi B.

It starts simple: you find a “decent” self-contained unit or a 3-bedroom to split with others. Everyone is polite at first, smiling with new-flatmate energy. But within weeks, you learn people’s real habits — the night-noise-makers, the ones who “forget” to clean, the ones who owe, and the ones who monitor NEPA like it’s their job.

💧 The Great Water War

Forget rent — water will test your character. If you’ve ever lived in an area with tanker delays or shared boreholes, you already know: people will hoard buckets like gold. Waking up to no water because your roommate bathed twice and washed jeans is pain you feel in your soul.

It’s not even malicious — it’s just the unspoken rule: “Every man for himself.”

🔌 The Politics of NEPA and Generator Noise

Someone will always forget to switch off the fridge before NEPA strikes. Someone’s “small gen” will rattle your bones at midnight. Someone will pretend they don’t know how to operate the changeover. And yet, somehow, you’ll still be the one fueling it.

Shared utility bills often mean shared resentment — especially when money is tight and people disappear when it’s time to pay.

🤐 The Silence That Isn’t Peace

The hardest part isn’t even the fights — it’s the passive aggression. The tension in the air when someone is offended but won’t say. The awkward way people greet after a loud argument over dishes. The note left on the bathroom mirror with bold caps: “CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF!”

Living in a shared apartment teaches you more about people, patience, and self-protection than any therapist ever could.

💬 Got a flatmate horror story?

We want to hear how you survived shared housing in the city.
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