The Lagos State Government has announced its intention on relocating the popular computer village from Ikeja to Kantagowa in the Abule-Egba area of Lagos State.
Dr. Olajide Babatunde, the Special Adviser to the Governor on eGlS and Urban Development on Saturday, disclosed this during the inspection and enforcement that was carried out by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) alongside some Law Enforcement agencies and other relevant government agencies.
Giving reasons for the new development, Babatunde explained that the relocation was due to efforts to re-organize markets in the state.
“We are trying to re-organise all our markets. I will give an example; in Ikeja, we have the Computer Village, which is being relocated to Katangowa.
“Hence, it is not just the Computer Village alone; there are other activities that would happen in the Katangowa market,” he explained.
The Special Adviser also mentioned that few weeks later, all and sundry would soon notice the efforts and positivity that would emerge as a result of the relocation to the Kantagowa market.
“We are moving those people who seem to be on the road in Ikeja and obstructing traffic, into a proper market big enough with all the services, with crèche for their children, schools, playground, churches, mosques, storage room, warehouses, some accommodation and hotel facilities.
“We are trying to do things properly, we are working on all of these things to ensure that we re-generate, re-develop, innovate, conserve and anything we need to do in terms of the terminologies we have in urban development, will be put to play in Lagos in way that we would have a greater Lagos rising,” he further explained.
However, the relocation which was meant to have taken place in 2017 was not possible. Hence, in 2023, Wasiu Anifowose, the State’s former Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development disclosed that all arrangements have been put in place to relocate the traders.
