Lagos Orders Computer Village Traders to Relocate to Katangowa Within 18 Months

The Lagos State Government has given traders at Ikeja’s iconic Computer Village 18 months to vacate the market and move to a new permanent site at Katangowa in Agbado/Oke-Odo.

The directive was announced on Tuesday by Gbolahan Oki, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, during a stakeholders’ meeting with market leaders and traders.

Oki said the Katangowa site, which spans 15 hectares, has been equipped with modern infrastructure and facilities to support businesses once the relocation is complete.

“The government wants your cooperation to make this project a reality. The relocation period is 18 months,” Oki stressed.

A Market on the Wrong Site

Computer Village, widely regarded as Nigeria’s largest technology hub, currently occupies land originally zoned for residential use. Over the years, it evolved into a sprawling commercial market without formal government approval, creating congestion and urban planning concerns in Ikeja.

Plans to relocate the market have been on the table since 2006 but stalled due to slow progress in developing the Katangowa site.

Sanwo-Olu’s Commitment to Inclusive Governance

Oki assured traders that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is determined to complete the long-delayed relocation in consultation with stakeholders.

“The governor is passionate about infrastructure and the welfare of Lagosians. Katangowa has been designated as the permanent home for this market. It is well-planned, strategically located, and designed to create a conducive environment for growth,” he said.

The relocation, once completed, is expected to decongest Ikeja while transforming Katangowa into Lagos’s new tech and gadget marketplace.