Professional Management of Leasehold Commercial Properties in Kano City

This study examines the professional management of leasehold commercial properties in Kano City, Kano State, North West Nigeria, investigating lease administration practices, rent review processes, maintenance management, and tenant-landlord relationship management in one of Nigeria's largest commercial property markets outside the south. Kano's commercial property market, encompassing retail, office, warehousing, and industrial properties, supports diverse commercial activities from traditional Hausa-Fulani trade to modern retail and manufacturing, creating a complex and culturally distinctive leasehold management environment. The study employs a professional practice assessment methodology, conducting structured interviews with 20 commercial property managers, 30 commercial tenants across four property categories, and 10 Kano chapter NIESV officials. Assessment dimensions include lease documentation quality, rent review frequency and methodology, maintenance standards, service charge transparency, and dispute resolution practice. Findings show that lease documentation standards vary considerably, with formally drafted leases concentrated in larger commercial properties while smaller units are managed through informal tenancy letters. Rent reviews are conducted inconsistently, with some landlords not reviewing rents for four or more years then seeking large catch-up increases that trigger tenant disputes. Maintenance is predominantly landlord-initiated for structural items but service charges for common areas are poorly administered. Muslim commercial calendar considerations, including Ramadan and trading season patterns, are relevant to lease term negotiations in Kano's traditional market sector. Recommendations include a NIESV Kano chapter campaign for standardised commercial lease templates and mandatory rent review clause training for commercial property managers. Keywords: leasehold management, commercial property, Kano, lease administration, rent review.