At long last, the long awaited relocation of the Otigba Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos State, is to begin in December this year. The movement will be in phases and will take several months said Sunday Ogunfolaji, Social Secretary of the Computers And Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN).

The computers and peripherals market is relocating to a new site in Gatankowa, in Agbado Oke Local Council Development Area, LCDA, in Alimosho Local Government Area (LGA) along the Lagos-Abeokuta Express Road,
This is in line with Lagos State Government's policy to remove all markets from residential areas to more spacious and conducive sites.

Babatunde Fashola, Governor of the State, gave the approval for the relocation after reaching an agreement with members of the Computers and Allied Products Dealers of Nigeria (CAPDAN). Ogunfolaji, who spoke with BusinessDay, confirmed that a new site had been allocated to the Computer Village and in the next two weeks machinery would be set in motion to begin construction at the new site. He stated that while the shop owners would be moved to Gatankowa, the street traders are to be relocated to Onilekere.

This was the decision reached between CAPDAN, the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) and the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA). He noted that the certificate of occupancy (C of O), of the land had already been acquired by members of CAPDAN. He said: "Under a Public Private Partnership (PPP), we intend to build almost 5000 offices and shops at the new site which will be called 'ICT Enterprise Zone'. Presently, there are between 2, 000 to 2, 500 offices and shops in the Computer Village. With an average of about three persons to one office, the number of traders in the computer village would be at about 7, 000 persons. So the new site has excess capacity".

The issue about people who do not have shops is over because we are also building 26 warehouses which have enough capacity to hold the consignment of three trailers at a time." He further added that two of the warehouses would be strictly dedicated to the street traders so that they do not constitute a nuisance in the new site as is the case at Ikeja Computer Village. With over seven banks within the village, BusinessDay learnt that the bank headquarters are already aware of the relocation and have all indicated interest to build in the new site. The Ikeja Computer Village has remained the largest single market for computers and allied products in Nigeria. Some say it is the largest such market in West-Africa. It enjoys huge patronage from Lagosians, residents of others states across the country as well as neighbouring West African nations like Benin Republic, Ghana, among others.

While formal market figures for computer sales in Nigeria are put at between 250,000 and 300,000 desktops and laptops yearly, it is estimated that for every computer sold in the formal market, 15 are sold in the informal market here. That would put informal market figures at about 3.7 million. Industry watchers say well over half of the informal market business is done in the Ikeja Computer Village.

Where the hell is Alimosho?

I thought Ikeja is central and that is crucial to the survival of business hub?!

Good arrangement,
but me i no know alimosho o
Which side of lagos be dat sef?

Gatankowa is very close to the popular Iyana Ipaja bus stop on the way to Otta, it is also close to a place called Abule Egba. A major challenge people may face here would be that of traffic.

I think it is a very bad idea.
Business needs a central location and Ikeja offers that.
Transportation within Lagos is not yet to the best, so how will people be able to go from VI to abule egba area to buy some NIC for their computer and be able to get back to the office?
I think if they wanna relocate, they could do that within Ikeja area but in a better development.

Wow! d new place will be bad 4 business as well as consumers also, not 2 talk of traffic congestion in dat area. Ikeja is still d best location, but where in Ikeja. they shuld sanitize d current computer village jare!

Great idea. That computer village has become armed robbers den. I imagine instances when people lose their phones and they are told to go and repurchase the phone in computer village. What rubbish?

That place is called Katangowa, Its a place popularly known for selling fairly used clothes on the Lagos-Abeokuta exp. way axis. Precisely before Abule Egba bus stop.

I hope this helps somebody.

tatooboy:

Great idea. That computer village has become armed robbers den. I imagine instances when people lose their phones and they are told to go and repurchase the phone in computer village. What rubbish?

That place is called Katangowa, Its a place popularly known for selling fairly used clothes on the Lagos-Abeokuta exp. way axis. Precisely before Abule Egba bus stop.

I hope this helps somebody.

Story! are you saying the same incident will not happen if they relocate to Alimosho?Use ya head bro.

wow, that is CRIMINAL haven!

alex406:

Story! are you saying the same incident will not happen if they relocate to Alimosho?Use ya head bro.

I wonder o!

you cannot bake your cake and fry it too.

is Ikeja a residential area?

Its a good move. Its about time lagos gov create business districts all over the state. You just can't have Ikeja and V/I as the only major biz districts. Thats a single point of failure. We need to develop all other parts of the states and i think that is what is being done here

Fhemmmy:

I think it is a very bad idea.
Business needs a central location and Ikeja offers that.
Transportation within Lagos is not yet to the best, so how will people be able to go from VI to abule egba area to buy some NIC for their computer and be able to get back to the office?
I think if they wanna relocate, they could do that within Ikeja area but in a better development.

officer workers  buy computer stationary by themselves? during office hours? 

Dis Guy:

is Ikeja a residential area?

YES . . its was meant to be anyways , .

@Topic . . its a good idea.

the distance BTW Kantogora and Otigba is not more than 15mins drive (without hold up) . . .the trafic will be the only problem.

besides,the Kantogora is very big and spacious. . . .

It's a welcome development. The wise should start earnestly to strategize ways of moving ahead.

May God bless Fashola. Nigeria would be better served if we had people of great intellectual vigor, like Fashola Scattered all over the country.

An area like otigba that is suppose to house highbrow homes and offices was gradually beginning to take the shape of mushin.

let see if they really move

if this happens then i would have to kiss computer village good bye. cose the distance is out of it for me, any way sha lets bussiness rotate round Lagos, may be we might soon move the big V.I, Ikoyi and CMS building to other areas for the sake of fairness and equity cose they are causing a lot of nusiance as well.

Is a good plan sha, but i dnt tink dat will reduce stealing within d market, no b d same ppl dey go kAnTo, ? whether they move to oyingbo or ilasa so far I will still see computer parts to buy @ a gud price Eko o ni baje o!

[/quote][quote author=alex406 link=topic=245527.msg3571906#msg3571906 date=1236686986]
Story! are you saying the same incident will not happen if they relocate to Alimosho?Use ya head bro.

There are times i wonder what kind of people are on NL. People talk/write and dont think before they do that. If the government is trying to put proper structure to something, does it not suggest that they would try and take away bottle necks that are prevalent in the current system, if not 100%, at least they would try to ensure that lives and properties are better protected.

So, you poster are you also suggesting that the status quo in computer village would happen in the new location? Please you this small boys on NL, please always think before you write your posts abeg.

Funny!!! The deal has been struck, what d use of these further comment! C of O has been signed amongst other agreements, so we cant bring them back hence d need for comments should be on Advantages an Disadvantages ,of d former Comp. Village, share yo experiences amongs goodwills and BiD farewell to d comuter vilace (C.V), at ikeja.

So it actually going to happen?Men that new site is incredibly far from the main business hubs of lagos,it is really going to affect the way businesses used to run.For example i stay in Surulere and could dash to Ikeja buy a part and still rush to the Island for some serious business but now i doubt that will ever be possible.We just have to hope for the best.

So it actually going to happen?Men that new site is incredibly far from the main business hubs of lagos,it is really going to affect the way businesses used to run.For example i stay in Surulere and could dash to Ikeja buy a part and still rush to the Island for some serious business but now i doubt that will ever be possible.We just have to hope for the best.

Double N:

So it actually going to happen?Men that new site is incredibly far from the main business hubs of lagos,it is really going to affect the way businesses used to run.For example i stay in Surulere and could dash to Ikeja buy a part and still rush to the Island for some serious business but now i doubt that will ever be possible.We just have to hope for the best.

See the innovative ones amongst them will introduce online order or office catalogues so you can just view what you want and get it delivered to you at home or in the office-saving you time and money!

embrace change people!

Dis Guy:

See the innovative ones amongst them will introduce online order or office catalogues so you can just view what you want and get it delivered to you at home or in the office-saving you time and money!

embrace change people!

That will be great, however, what is delivery time gonna be like when the road is terrible?
But i think uh ave a point, but mind you only those that has internet connections could order online, and not all business has credit card to order online, except we now have e-cheques in Nigeria, and if we do, then, we are steps closer, also, not all that wanna buy IT accessories realy knows what they want, till they see am face to face.
But this could be a start like u said

Iif they relocate over there, PC village is dead. that place is too far out of the way for most people. back in the day, i'd take a bus to oshodi, from oshodi a bus to ikeja, in 45 mins i'd be at pc village. thee were eateries to relax at after shopping. straight bus to mile 2.equally important, the buses were not too razz. those iyana paja buses, no be coasters where you share seat with women carrying vegetables? no can do. bad idea imho.

banks will be taking up spaces in the new market and eateries follow market
computer village will only die if there are better alternative or other mini ICT markets around
Lakeside shopping complex, bluewater shopping centres and some otehrs are on the outskirt of london
but they still pull in customers from faraway. As long as their is demand people will seek products and services

I think the blr* bus is being extended to Alimosho

Lol @oyb

CANDYLIPS, i see that you have the black box formula, but are you a "QUANT"? holla at me son.

Guys, the deal is done. The wise will continue to think on how they will rip from this move. So, I charge to start strategizing now!