The Lagos State Government has formally notified traders at the popular Computer Village in Ikeja of plans to relocate the market to Katangowa in the Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area. Traders have been given an 18-month timeline to complete the move, which was communicated during a stakeholders meeting held on Monday.
At the meeting, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Architect Gbolahan Oki, stated that the Katangowa site is now ready for occupation. According to him, the necessary infrastructure and amenities have been put in place to make the environment suitable for business operations.
Oki explained that the current location of Computer Village in Ikeja was originally designated as a residential area and has over time been transformed into a bustling commercial hub without formal government approval. This, he said, has created planning and regulatory challenges for the state.
He revealed that the plan to relocate the market to Katangowa has been in existence since 2006. However, progress was stalled for years due to the slow pace of development at the new site. With major construction and infrastructure now completed, he said the time has come to implement the long-delayed move.
Oki emphasized that the relocation aligns with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to inclusive governance and citizen welfare. He assured the traders that the state government remains focused on carrying all stakeholders along throughout the transition process. He described the Katangowa site as a carefully planned 15-hectare commercial layout specifically designed to support technology-based businesses.
While acknowledging that transitions can be challenging, Oki encouraged the traders to cooperate with the government, stating that the long-term benefits of the move would outweigh the short-term disruptions. He reiterated the 18-month deadline and called on market leaders to begin preparing for the relocation.
In the meantime, the state government has warned against continued use of walkways and roadside spaces for trading activities at the current Ikeja location. Oki stressed that enforcement actions would be taken against any violators of the state’s physical planning regulations.
Further details about the Katangowa site were provided by the project coordinator, Olayinka Bello, who outlined key features of the new market, including a police post, hotel facilities, and proximity to a BRT terminal to ease transportation. She added that road construction in the area is ongoing to improve access for traders and customers alike.
Bello also highlighted the economic advantages of the relocation, noting that the new market would promote business expansion, generate employment for youth, increase internally generated revenue, and help decongest the current Computer Village environment.
Also speaking at the event, the Iyaloja of Computer Village, Chief Abisola Azeez, recalled that the decision to move the market was originally reached in 2006 during the tenure of then-Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, now President of Nigeria. She urged traders to honour the agreement and support the government’s relocation efforts.
The stakeholders meeting marks the beginning of what the government describes as the final phase of the long-awaited transition, aimed at transforming market operations and urban planning in the state.
