Computer Village remains ICT trade hub

Jonah Iboma

Trading in computers and related electronic products has become synonymous with Ikeja, the capital city of Nigeria’s economic headquarters, Lagos. This follows the emergence of what has been described as West Africa’s biggest computer trade centre- the Ikeja computer Village.

One of the reasons that have been adduced for the emergence of Ikeja computer market is the centrality of Lagos to economic activities in the state. For anyone making entry to Lagos through air, land or rail, Ikeja is a place that one must go through. This is because the railway line that runs from southern Nigeria to the northwest passes through Lagos. The Local and International airports are located in Ikeja while coming by road from the country through the ever-busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway, one will be have the Ikeja on the right had side with the imposing structures of the state secretariat.

A cross-section of the Ikeja Computer Village 

In the last 15 years, Ikeja Computer village has grown to become West Africa’s largest ICT market for sales and services of all types.

Be it laptop computers, desktop computer, mobile phones, digital cameras, Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems and other electronic products such a television and home theatres, computer village is now the undisputed headquarters.

Today, Ikeja Computer Village draws people from all parts of the parts of Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region. Shoppers come all the way from Ghana, Benin Republic, Togo and even Cote d’Ivoire.  Many customers say that the variety of products on sale is what provides the attraction for them to come to Ikeja.  

KofficAgyemang, a Ghanaian trader, is a regular visitor to the ICT trade village and explains that the presence of latest mobile phones and their competitive prices makes Ikeja an attractive place for him.

Shopper moving about at Ikeja Computer Village

“You know that Lagos is a big city and I love coming to the computer village at Ikeja here in Nigeria every month because of the variety of products on sale. Any product that you cannot find in my country is easily available here and the prices are very good. I therefore come here to do my purchases and then go back to Ghana to sell them.” He said.

He added that in the past he had to wait for shipment to come from Europe before he could certain need of his customers, but now this problem is easily solved with the Ikeja computer village.

Iddrissou Sagnon, a resident of Cotonou who trades in computers and mobile phones, also stated that Ikeja computer village is always an attraction for traders in mobile phones in his country because all products that one needs are easily found there unlike what obtains in Benin Republic, his country.

Computers for sales at Ikeja Computer Village 

Mohammed Baba, a computer products dealer from Maiduguri, Borno State is another trade that comes from in-country to buy products in Lagos. According to him, even though products are distributed nationally by various manufacturers there is usually delay in getting supply of some phones, a development, he noted, is not good for business.

But one issue that visitors to the market feel government should do is to provide facilities within the trade zone.