Aerial View of Computer Village
In the heart of Lagos Nigeria, the wealthiest city in West Africa lies Ikeja it's State Capital. Coordinates of Ikeja- 6.60°N 3.35°E
Ikeja Lagos is the home of the largest technological market in the Whole of Africa. Undisputedly the biggest trade market for computer/accessories and mobile products. The abode of ICT materials plied by many industrial sectors.
Brief Economical History:
Generally, Ikeja had been a commercial region since the year 1976, out of the IBILE (Ikorodu-Badagry-Ikeja-Lagos Island-Epe) from the 1967 regions, ikeja had been the early trading point of Lagos Nigeria right before advance civilization came.
The international Airport; Murtala Mohammed Airport is also located in Ikeja commissioned in the year 1979. This made it a perfect close haven for imported goods and the ones to be exported.
“Soon, clearing and forwarding agents chose the place as a perfect location for their goods because of its proximity to the Airport. Fashion designers followed suit soon after” – Temitayo Olofinlua
Opened daily for business since the early 90s, where it was formerly located at Surulere Lagos before it's relocation to it;s present abode "Ikeja" when the then political dispensation absorbed the the introduction of Global System for Mobile (GSM) into the country in 2001. The Famous Computer Village has been ranked among the best ICT markets of the World.
Before long, it became the full-blown technology hub which generates an estimated yearly revenue of $2 Billion- Muyiwa Matuluko Snr
With an estimated volume of 1 Billion Naira ($2,781,650) in daily tradings, NBS reported in 2014 that:
Average of 20 Million mobile devices is sold per-month, contributing about 2% to the National GDP.
Aside being and accessory depot for technological devices, it is also the home of technical supports for mobile devices and computers, either hardware to software; this place fix it all. The village had become a necessity for thousands of youths who are now employed- both educated and less educated.
You could see the population of youths immediately you are around the village, all working hard as Middlemen in potential sales and some technicians.
Apps Developers, Intermediate IT technicians and Professionals soon settled there, and some frequent this locale daily, this had been attracting several Tech Companies to patronize the market for decades.
The economical impact of this village is extremely heavy on the State of Lagos that twice it had been schedule for relocation and twice it has never been actualized!
“There are people who never dreamt of having jobs but are now employed,” he says. “In a month, I can make between 100,000 Naira ($) and 200,000 Naira ($), depending on sales.”-Gbenga Sodimu, 42yrs, sells phones and laptops in the Computer Village.
Emmanuel has been working at the market for a year. He earns from 1,000 Naira ($) to 10,000 Naira ($) per job, depending on the nature of the repair-Jackson Emmanuel, a 20-year-old undergraduate-computer systems engineer apprentice, repairs tech devices in the village.
Without exaggerations, the Ikeja computer village hosts approximately over 1 million people on daily basis, this individuals either comes to buy or sell as it is also a place to auction used gadgets.
A computer Accessory Street Dealer at Computer Village
CONS
- Like any major commercial centers, it comes with it's own hassles; one of which is buying of counterfeited products!. Of course this happens all over the world, the sale of sub-standard products is a pandemic on it's own.
- Another major problem is Good/services Solicitors.
This are group of people who acts as Pseudo Services providers or merchants, they have no outlets of their own but meets prospecting customers and negotiate prices with them thereby inflating the original cost of product or services before taking this unsuspecting customers to the accredited dealers.
They work hand-in-hand with the real service providers or sellers who gives them their share of the spoil after each successful dealings.
- The Government allegedly accused the Village of environmental degradation, housing stock deficit and traffic congestion, the major reason for it's proposed relocation.
Heavy Traffic congestion
PROS
Ikeja Computer Village has grown exponentially and this increase had foster employment for thousands and source of income for the citizens.
A huge revenue generating center for the Government, part of the reason why relocation attempts had been abandoned.
This had improved skill set for some of adult/youths through the collaboration and apprenticeship culture embraced by this locale.
- The village had curbed the intent of crime in youths as this place accommodates Graduate, undergraduate and the educated. Like the general saying goes- "an idle hand is the devil's workshop."
Concluding:
This thousands of youth resolved to hustle in this Hub than go head-on into Crime, one of the things the Government should consider deeply before uprooting this village to somewhere else. The Crimes we all be fighting might triple if this youths are displaced and the Revenue Generated from this Tech-Village might be lost.
Nigeria is not an enabling environment for entrepreneurs, but many have struggled against all odds to keep their heads above the harmful waters of corruption and the high cost of everything. With the relocation of the ‘village’, many fear that sales and patronage may never be the same as more people will find it easier to shop online, than brave the journey to the new destination. The resultant effect will definitely be an increase in unemployment. There will be a massive addition to the unemployed pool of 23 million people- TechpointNg
Image Sources: 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8
