It is no longer news that the Lagos State Government has been planning to relocate the Computer Village, the biggest ICT hub in Nigeria, currently located within Ikeja, to Katangowa, in the Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area. What is actually news and worrisome is the 18-month relocation ultimatum, which was handed down to the traders recently by the commissioner.
The State Government first announced the relocation to Katangowa in 2017 under Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. While the plan was initially slated for completion within that year, it faced multiple delays.
Now, exactly on September 25th, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, said that an 18-month deadline has been given to the traders to move to the new site. Given that the Commissioner said this last month, it means that the deadline will be in March 2027.
Will this date be achievable? According to him, the state government has provided the necessary infrastructure and facilities at the Katangowa site to ensure a conducive business environment once the relocation takes effect.
However, a visit to the New Site last week by this reporter revealed that virtually nothing is on the ground at the new site. Apart from a few building foundations built by the first Developer ‘Bridgeways Global Project Ltd,’ the place is overgrown with weeds and has been turned into a dumpsite by traders at ‘Super’ and traders from the ‘Black Gate’ markets, which are markets surrounding the proposed new computer market site, referred to as ‘New Site’.
A lone LAWMA tractor was sighted a little far from the overgrown new site. There was no infrastructure or any activities going on there, except for people who occasionally strolled into the site to relieve themselves.
The major road that leads into the market through the newly constructed Lagos state ICT Park gates, ‘Ahmed Mohammed Rd,’ is not motorable as major work seems to be going on there, albeit sluggishly.
A signboard conspicuously displayed by the road stated it was being constructed by ‘Tzipium Nig Ltd’ and had a duration of six months to finish the work. How far they have gone in the six months could not be ascertained, as none of the workers refused to speak with our correspondent.
The first Developer, Bridgeways Global Project, has been in court with the Lagos State Government and its Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development for what they called ‘unlawful termination of its concession agreement for the development of the ICT Business Park Katangowa’.
Just recently, on October 12, the case came up before Justice Mathias Dawodu at the Ikeja High Court. Justice Dawodu ordered all parties to maintain the Status quo ante pending the determination of the substantive suit. The case was adjourned to December 9 2025.
Computer Village is the most prominent phone hub in Nigeria, contributing about N300 billion annually to the economy, according to Omobola Johnson, former Minister of Information and Communications Technology.
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Computer Village is home to about 3,000 information technology small and medium enterprises. A business report estimates that about N1.5 billion is generated daily, explaining the state’s interest in relocating the market.
Some traders at the Computer Village, however, expressed deep skepticism over the government’s renewed push to relocate the market to Katangowa.
Speaking anonymously, one trader told our correspondent that the latest effort had been met with widespread unhappiness and a lack of faith, as similar relocation proposals in the past had failed to produce clear outcomes or transparent processes.
The trader raised concerns over the government’s approach, particularly its failure to provide official documentation confirming the authority of traders over the designated Katangowa site.
According to him, the land was originally secured during the administration of former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2005–2006.
He insisted that traders want direct allocation of the land so they can manage development themselves, rather than relying on contractors whose projects may be subject to political changes.
“Relocation discussions have been going on for 15 to 19 years, right from Tinubu’s second regime,” the trader said, adding that successive governments, including the current administration during its first tenure, have only repeated unfulfilled promises involving contractors.
The claim that the new site would address congestion and fire safety, with facilities such as hospitals and access roads, was described as “political excuses.”
The trader noted that the Abule Egba site, acquired nearly two decades ago, remains waterlogged and inaccessible.
He further alleged that a contractor previously engaged in the project is still in court with the government over a terminated contract and money collected from traders.
The trader emphasised that without transparent allocation and proper documentation, the proposed relocation risks becoming yet another cycle of empty promises.
Some of the traders, however, said, “Instead of outright relocation of the market, there should be an extension.”
Speaking with our correspondent, the Chief Executive Officer of Network Solutions, Wale Adedoyin, in his office in Otigba Street within Computer Village, said that the Computer Village Market, Ikeja, should be left to continue existing while an extension of the market should be created at Katangowa.
“People do not want to hear about computer village relocation, but extension. Many traders have built buildings here. They have invested heavily, so where will they get N15m to N20m to start buying shops again,” lamented Adedoyin.
“They want to force people to buy those shops, not considering the tough economic situation or the reality on the ground. Up till today, 14th October, they have not laid a newspaper on the ground in Katangowa, and you are saying 18 months? Is 18 months feasible? The answer is no,” responded Stephen of Tech Paramount, in the Computer Village.
However, one of the leading members of the Task Force in charge of ‘Super’ and the ‘New Site’ markets said that if the government is serious about building the market and relocating the traders within the next 18 months, it will be done.
The Task Force member who pleaded anonymity and who was being addressed as the Babaloja said he had no authority to speak to journalists as he was not the chairman of the market.
Pointing at the lone LAWMA tractor vehicle within the site, he said it was for the clearing of the supposed site of the new computer village market.
Mum was the word at the number 20 Otigba Street office of the Iyaloja of Computer Village, Hon. Abisola Azeez.
Her staff said she was not in her seat. Though they provided her telephone number, calls to her were not picked up.
