Buea: Students Grapple With Rising House Rents

H ome to thousands of students from the University of Buea, the Catholic University Insti­ tute of Buea (CUIB), Biaka University Institute and other institutions of learning, Molyko has become one of Buea’s most active neighbou­ rhoods, with growing demand for accommodation pushing rental costs upward. Its position as an academic and commercial centre has attracted a large population of students and traders, particularly during the aca­ demic year. This growing demand has contribu­ ted to an increase in rents in several student residential areas. A visit by CT on Thursday, September 17, 2026 to some student residences in Molyko showed that the cost of accommo­ dation varies depending on the lo­ cation and facilities available. At A1 Complex in Molyko, mini-stu­ dios comprising a parlour, toilet and kitchen are rented for between FCFA 35,000 and FCFA 65,000. Over a 12-month academic year, this amounts to between FCFA 420,000 and FCFA 780,000. The situation is similar in other student residential areas, including Promised Land, Pa­ veray City and Onze Residence. Some students, however, consider the rents in their residences relatively mode­ rate compared with what is paid el­ sewhere. Rachel Benneditta-Nkem, a student residing at Balifumbu Residence, said she pays FCFA 30,000 per month, amounting to FCFA 360,000 annually. ‘‘This is very moderate compared to what some of my class­ mates pay annually. The room condi­ tions are not bad. At least, we have constant water flow and electricity,’’ she said. The rising cost of student accom­ modation comes amid concerns from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development over what it describes as excessive rents charged to stu­ dents. In a press release si...