Traders Speak As Lagos State Govt Secures New Location To Move Computer Village From Ikeja

• The Lagos state government is working to relocate Computer Village from Ikeja to a new location in Katangua
• This decision has left traders worried about the impact of the changes on their daily revenue sales when they finally move
• Ikeja Computer Village has been around for years, serving tech enthusiasts from Lagos and the country at large

Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of business journalism experience with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.

Lagos state government is progressing with its plans to relocate one of Lagos's lucrative tech-hub (Computer Village) from Ikeja to Abule Egba (Katangua).

The plan, first conceived in 2017, is nearing actualisation, and the new Computer Village will be called the Katangua Information and Communications Technology Business Park.

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Olajide Babatunde, the special adviser to the governor on eGIS and urban development, revealed the progress during a recent inspection and enforcement operation.

He said the government's actions regarding the Katangua market will appear shortly.

Why is Lagos relocating Computer Village?

The Nigerian Tribune reports that Babatunde said the relocation aims to curb environmental degradation, housing stock deficit, and traffic congestion in the state capital.

He noted that the new Computer Village will have childcare facilities, educational institutions, recreational areas, places of worship, storage spaces, warehouses, lodging options, and hotel amenities.

Traders express worries

The decision to relocate Computer Village has sparked concerns among traders about the potential impact on their daily revenue sales once the move is finalised.

The Punch reports quoted Emmanuel Osho, the managing partner of Bodds IT Solutions, as saying that a lot of traders were not happy

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He noted:

“Moving the market means we would be farther from central Lagos, meaning a lot of people would have to spend a lot of time to get to their workplaces. Also, people would have to think twice before they plan to come to do business with us."

Another trader known as Bolaji Amos also expressed concerns about the potential loss of customers due to the relocation.

He noted that most customers come from the Island, and connecting to Katangua from the Island is not easy.

Amos added:

"The sale of goods would decline drastically, and people would lose their jobs."

Lagos govt ban use of takeaway plastics

Meanwhile, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos earlier prohibited the use and distribution of plastic and foam takeout containers within the state.

The announcement was made by the commissioner for environment and water resources, Tokunbo Wahab, on behalf of the government.

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The government cited concerns over the non-biodegradable nature of these containers, particularly Styrofoam, which poses a significant threat to the environment.

Source: Legit.ng