Computer Village Traders Get 18 Months to Move to Katangowa

The Lagos State Government has given traders at Computer Village in Ikeja 18 months to relocate to the new market site at Katangowa, Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area.

Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, made the announcement during a stakeholders’ meeting with market leaders and traders on Tuesday.

Oki said the government is committed to completing the long-delayed relocation plan and has provided infrastructure at Katangowa to make the market environment more conducive for traders and their customers.

“The government wants your cooperation to ensure the relocation comes to pass. The time is now. We have to make the project a reality. The relocation period is 18 months,” Oki said.

He explained that the Ikeja market sits on a location originally zoned for residential use, but over the years, it was converted into a trading hub without formal government approval. According to him, the move to Katangowa has been on the table since 2006 but had suffered delays due to the slow pace of development at the new site.

Oki stressed that the stakeholders’ engagement was aimed at carrying traders along with the government’s plans, assuring them that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is keen on ensuring inclusiveness and prioritizing their welfare.

“Katangowa is a place chosen for everything relating to this market. It’s 15 hectares of land, near all the materials you need for your business. The new location is well laid out, and we want to work with you to plan this relocation together,” he added.

Project Coordinator Olayinka Bello also disclosed that the Katangowa site was designed to feature essential facilities including a police post, hotels, and easy access to the BRT terminal to support movement of goods and people.

Chief Abisola Azeez, Iyaloja of Computer Village, said the market leadership had agreed to the relocation since 2006 under the administration of then-governor Bola Tinubu, now President of Nigeria. She urged traders to cooperate with the government’s directive and complete the move within the stipulated period.

The relocation of Computer Village has been a subject of public debate for years, with traders often expressing concerns about accessibility, logistics, and the cost of setting up at the new site. The government, however, has insisted that the move is necessary to decongest Ikeja and restore its original residential master plan.

If fully implemented, the relocation will mark one of Lagos State’s most significant market reorganisations in recent years, reshaping the state’s technology hub and potentially boosting commercial activities in Katangowa.

See this: FIRS Boss says FG will keep borrowing