Six Years After Proposed Relocation Of Lagos Computer Village, Project Still At Foundation Level

About six years ago, Lagos State government announced plans to relocate Computer Village, located in Ikeja, to ICT Park, Katangwa in the Abule-Egba area of the state.

The state former Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Wasiu Anifowose, had said that all arrangements had been made to relocate the traders.

Anifowose noted that the market was located in a residential area, adding that the relocation would reduce gridlock.

“If at the end of this administration, the Computer Village is not moved from that Otigba Street in Ikeja to Katangua, I will not come here next year.

“It is a done deal; we have held a stakeholders’ meeting with the traders and they agreed to the relocation plan. It is an 11-year project that different administrations attempted to undertake but the present governor is a go getter.

“The relocation will deliver a world class computer and allied activities park. The process leading to the commencement of the development is in the concluding phase,” Anifowose had said at the 2017 ministerial press briefing.

However, the plan relocation which was supposed to happen before the end of 2017, has been stalled. And it is obvious why.

Our correspondent visited the ICT Park at Katangowa and discovered that the shops which will house the traders are still at foundation level with overgrown grasses covering most parts of the site.

A young man who claimed to be a security guard at a section of the site told THE WHISTLER that construction work stopped around 2021.

Government Reacts

Our correspondent on Monday visited the state Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to find out why construction work was stalled, but was directed to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Oluwole Sotire, told THE WHISTLER that the project was a public private partnership.

According to him, the contract with the developer that was in-charge of the project has been terminated, because the said developer was not doing well.

When reminded that the relocation was captured in the state 2023 budget, Sotire explained that it may be in the budget, but it is a PPP.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in January signed the state’s N1.768 trillion 2023 budget tagged, “Budget of Continuity” into law.

Sanwo-Olu said the fiscal document not only “aggressively” focus on completing ongoing capital projects, it would also expand intervention programmes and intensify social support to citizens and their means of livelihoods.

According to the governor, the implementation of the budget would see to completion of various ongoing capital projects.

In June, the state Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget listed the relocation of Computer Village to Katangwa; land compensation and acquisition of land around train station; completion of 444 units of building projects at Sangotedo phase II; completion of 420 units of of building projects at Ajara, Badagry phase II; construction of 136 units of building projects at Ibeshe; and relocation of Okobaba resettlement as key deliverables of the “Budget of Continuity”.

“The Housing and Community Amenities sector will see the completion of 444 units of building projects at Sangotedo Phase II, 420 units of building project at Ajara, Badagry Phase II, and the construction of 136 units of building projects at Ibeshe II, among others. The sector will also focus on land compensation and acquisition of land around train stations, as well as the relocation of the Computer Village of Katangwa and Okobaba Resettlement,” the ministry had said in a social media post.

Traders Perspectives

A trader at Computer Village, Ebuka Okubalu, told THE WHISTLER that even if the government had completed the project, he would not relocate to Katangwa, because he is not ready.

Okubalu explained that the location of Katangwa puts the traders at a disadvantage if they should relocate, adding that unlike Abule-Egba, Ikeja can easily be accessed by customers.

“For us moving down there, our customers are going to find it difficult to locate us,” he said.

Another trader, Uchechukwu Okwuegbunam, expressed security concern, saying that because Katangwa is located at the outskirt of Lagos, traders may become victims of constant armed robbery attacks and theft.

Giving the advantages of being in Ikeja, Okwuegbunam said there are various security formations scattered all over the area, unlike Katangwa.

Okwuegbunam urged the government not to force traders to relocate when the project is completed , but rather they should be asked to buy shops at Katangwa, while maintaining their shops in Ikeja.

“Shutting down here will affect us more, because airport (Murtala Muhammed Airport) is very close to us. So many businesses we do, we do through the airport,” he said.

“This is an IT business. We need a place that’s at the centre. It’s a lot of risks (relocating). Here’s more secure.”

Also speaking with THE WHISTLER, a trader, Vincent Offor, admonished the state government to ensure that enough shops to accommodate all current traders in Ikeja are built before relocation.

He also asked the government to ensure that proposed shops are affordable, arguing that if they are not affordable, the purpose of the relocation would be defeated.

Offor told THE WHISTLER that he is ready to relocate to Katangwa anytime the projects is delivered.

“Even if the market is going to move from here to Katangwa, people will move. The most important thing is that if the place is conducive for one to do business, there is no fear; people will move,” he said.

“Katangwa is not that far from Ikeja. If there’s no traffic, it’s less than 15 minutes drive. So anybody that can get to Ikeja will be able to access Katangwa.”

Acknowledging that the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, which is the access road to Katangwa is a busy road, Offor said: “If everything is put in place, I don’t see any challenge.”

Similarly, a phone repairer at the market, Tosin Oladipo, told THE WHISTLER that he has no problem relocating to Katangwa once the project is completed.

Computer Village is a tech hub and arguably the largest ICT accessory market in Africa.