Nigerians have joined Indians at the top of Britain’s foreign landlord rankings as property investments by citizens of both countries continue to soar.
When Lagos entrepreneur, Chika Okeke, bought her first buy-to-let flat in Manchester last year, her goal was not status but stability. “The system here is clear, the rental demand is strong, and the property pays for itself,” she told The Times UK.
She is part of a growing wave of Nigerians reshaping the UK’s buy-to-let landscape. Alongside Indians, Nigerians now dominate property company ownership in the British rental market.
Data from estate agency Hamptons shows that in the first half of 2025, Nigerians established 647 buy-to-let companies, second only to Indians with 684. Both nationalities have topped the chart for three consecutive years, overtaking Poles and other Europeans who once led the space.
For many investors, the UK’s transparency and profitability stand in sharp contrast to Nigeria’s opaque real estate system. Rental yields in northern England reach between 9 and 10 per cent, compared with an average of 7 per cent nationwide.
“You can buy a house in Leeds and have tenants lined up immediately,” said Uche Eze, a Nigerian mortgage broker based in Birmingham. “Back home in Lekki, you might wait months to collect rent. Nigerians see the difference and move fast.”
Experts link the investment surge to migration patterns. Between 2019 and 2023, about 127,000 Nigerians and 178,000 Indians migrated to the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics. Many are using property as a tool for wealth creation and as insurance against economic instability back home.
For wealthy families in Lagos and Mumbai, UK real estate serves dual purposes — accommodation for children studying abroad and a stable source of rental income. For professionals in the diaspora, it is seen as a route to building lasting financial security.
Property consultants say many investors now buy through limited companies to benefit from tax incentives. The structure allows landlords to deduct all mortgage interest and expenses while paying between 19 and 25 per cent corporation tax, instead of as much as 45 per cent in personal income tax.
“Serious investors don’t buy in their personal names anymore,” said Bola Adebayo, a Nigerian property consultant in London. “The company route makes the numbers add up.”
However, foreign investors face growing challenges. Non-UK residents pay a 7 per cent stamp duty surcharge, while buy-to-let mortgage rates have climbed from 3.25 per cent in 2021 to over 5.2 per cent. Landlords must also meet stricter energy efficiency standards by 2028.
“It’s costly,” said Okeke, who is already budgeting for property upgrades. “But compared to the uncertainty at home, it’s still a better deal.”
Despite the rising costs, Nigerians and Indians remain the most determined foreign landlords in the UK. Average rents in England and Wales have increased by 34 per cent in five years, now averaging £1,372 per month, ensuring steady returns for investors.
“There’s peace of mind in knowing your money is in a system that works,” Eze said.
Or as Okeke put it, “In the UK, even while I’m asleep, my property is working for me.”
